


Secret Revelations

by mescarlett



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Drama, F/M, Family, Intrigue, Mystery, Other, Pool & Billiards, Romance, Suspense, Thriller
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-29
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-03-11 02:12:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 151,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13514580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mescarlett/pseuds/mescarlett
Summary: An AU story set nearly 30 years after the return of the USS Voyager to the Alpha Quadrant. The Voyager crew continues on new missions, but a significant encounter along their path could change the lives of several crew members and cause a number of secrets to be revealed causing a ripple effective of repercussions. (Rated M for latter chapters)





	1. Chapter 1

_**This is an alternate universe story set nearly 30 years after Voyager's initial return to Earth from the Delta Quadrant. It is purely fictional. I own none of the original characters nor any rights to the television series. This is an extensive story with multiple parts, so allow yourself to explore the 'what ifs' of an idea that could have transpired way back in 2379!**_

**Location: Open Space in the Alpha Quadrant**

Commander Kate Janeway was currently drifting aimlessly inside of her escape pod somewhere deep in the recesses of the Alpha Quadrant. Drifting in and out of consciousness, she wasn't sure if she was ever able to successfully send out a distress signal asking for immediate assistance from any nearby Starfleet vessel, let alone plot in the coordinates to the nearest space station within the navigational guide of the pod. Coming back in to a semi-conscious state, she attempted to sit upright in the small seat within her escape pod and record a semi-audible distress signal.

"This is Commander Kate Janeway calling any Starfleet vessel, please respond."

Silence. There was not even the slightest hint of static over the communication lines. She had no real clue of her precise location, but she nonetheless programmed her escape pod to the coordinates of Deep Space K-7, the Federation space station that situated itself along the border. If no Starfleet vessel intercepted her or God forbid some enemy ship, she would float defenselessly towards Deep Space K-7 with the hope of arrival at some point. She refused to panic. She was stronger than that and was taught to remain calm in any situation. Nonetheless, she sent out another communication.

"This is Commander Kate Janeway of the  _USS Excalibur_  sending out an urgent message to any Starfleet vessel. Current location unknown. Last known location was departure from Capella IV aboard the  _Shuttle Sequoia_  en route for Deep Space K-7. Shuttle was destroyed in a Borg attack. I am the sole survivor having escaped in a pod. Requesting immediate assistance. Janeway out."

Sitting back in the seat, she gazed out the view port in front of her at the black mass speckled with stars. Never in all her life had she felt so alone, yet to some extent, she was accustomed to feeling alone. Inside she cursed her commanding officer for all but abandoning her and her crew man. Her crew man…

She froze in place and stared out the view port. Ensign Blakeley Adley had accompanied her after the mission to Capella IV or was it really a mission as much as a death trap instigated by her commanding officer, Captain Mackenzie Calhoun of the  _Excalibur_. She would save those thoughts for her personal log entries. Unfortunately, it would be her word versus Calhoun's since Adley had been tragically killed when the  _Sequoia_  sustained heavy damage prior to destruction. That guilt would remain with her for a long time, but she had to rely on her ancestral roots to sustain her, but even that was shrouded in such secrecy as she was not really certain at times who she herself was.

_Born Kathryn Shakonohey Janeway in early 2379 on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in the Great Smoky Mountains region of North Carolina on Earth, Kate's life was a complete mystery. She grew up under the watchful eye of Lottie Walker, whom Kate was given to upon birth. Kate's childhood was characterized with timidity yet bravery. In many ways, she was ostracized by the Cherokee children, yet her stubborn streak compelled her to reach for the stars and push forward, even if that meant facing whatever battle came before her alone._

_Little Kate, as the Tribal Chief often referred to her as, always knew that she was different from the other Cherokee Indians. She didn't have their same skin color, nor their eye color. She had the long flowing dark hair, the natural athleticism and build of a Native American, but it was obvious to everyone in Cherokee Nation that Little Kate was born from the 'white man', as they so often referred to them. While they did adopt her in to their culture, even from a young age, Little Kate often felt out of place._

_Little Kate remembered vividly the day that Ms. Lottie told her about her birth mother. She told her in great detail that Little Kate's mother was a brave woman who everyone revered and admired. She held a very prestigious position within space exploration. While that information meant little to Kate, she always remembered it and assumed that was why she often found herself spending countless hours down by the mountain streams staring skyward toward the heavens. Yet the reality set in with Little Kate realizing that she knew nothing whatsoever about her father, and the limited information about her mother and her decision to give her up often gnawed at her._

_The Cherokee were good to her and she learned many valuable lessons from them – in particular patience. The Tribal Chief watched with great curiosity as Little Kate struggled with patience as a young child, and he took her under his wing and sought to bring that out in her. Knowing that she was half Native American, albeit not from the Cherokee Tribe, he still adopted her as one of his own. He took her on countless hunts and taught her many valuable skills including hunting and killing her own prey, and the utter act of patience in stalking and waiting to attack the prey. Little Kate developed in to one of the most feared individuals within the Cherokee Tribe. Children, who once made fun of her, revered her and wanted to be like her, yet she often kept to herself reading a book or studying some new subject._

_In her early teens, she met with the Tribal Chief and told him it was her desire to leave the Eastern Band of the Cherokees and join Starfleet Academy. When he questioned her on her reasons and motivations for doing so, she replied honestly that it was in her genes. She was a natural explorer, she reveled in nature. It was her passion to explore outside of the Smoky Mountains. But deep down, the Tribal Chief suspected that Little Kate wanted to find out more about her birth mother, and he suspected she wanted to be as great a leader as she had been._

_Prior to her departure from the Cherokee land to head to Starfleet Academy in San Francisco, Tribal Chief Jarrett Crowe met privately with Little Kate._

" _Little Kate, I know your capabilities and talents, and I know you will excel at Starfleet and you will make us proud. But deep down, I know you also want to know more about your family. I pray that your reason for joining Starfleet isn't exclusively for finding your birth mother. We've never known much about your birth father aside from the fact that he is Native American, albeit not Cherokee. You are one of us. I know you may not have always felt that way and you may have often felt excluded, but you make us proud and don't forget you always have a home here. The Spirits will guide you where you need to be and will always be with you no matter what comes your way. Always remember this proverb, 'Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.'"_

_With those words in mind, Kate packed up what little belongings she had and headed west to start her training at Starfleet at an age that shocked most everyone else. She'd never left the Cherokee lands, but she allowed the stars to guide her where she needed to be, and ultimately, she knew those stars would guide her for the rest of her life._

**Location: Bridge of the** _**USS Voyager** _

"Captain," Lt. Harry Kim stated, "We are picking up an audio distress signal."

"Play it, Lieutenant," Captain Chakotay of the  _USS Voyager_ ordered of his junior bridge officer.

Over the communication system on the bridge of  _Voyager,_  the message transmitted: "This is Commander Kate Janeway of the  _USS Excalibur_  sending out an urgent message to any Starfleet vessel. Current location unknown. Last known location was departure from Capella IV aboard the  _Shuttle Sequoia_  en route for Deep Space K-7. Shuttle was destroyed in a Borg attack. I am the sole survivor having escaped in a pod. Requesting immediate assistance. Janeway out."

For a brief moment, the entire bridge crew was completely silent. No one wanting to utter what they each were all thinking –  _Commander Janeway?_

Lt. Commander Tom Paris exchanged quick glances with Lieutenants Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres, as well as Lt. Commander Tuvok, who had just recently returned to  _Voyager_  to assist with them in the latest mission, before they all settled their eyes back on their Captain, Chakotay. They couldn't help but notice the look of possibly shock and confusion that was etched upon his face. The irony of this all was surreal. Were they trapped in some sort of time warp travel or could there really be another Janeway out there?

In the brief moment of silence and exchanged glances, B'Elanna personally couldn't help but notice the expression that was written upon her friend and boss, Chakotay's face. They all briefly thought of their former commanding officer, the formidable Captain Kathryn Janeway who valiantly led  _Voyager_  for seven years while being trapped in the Delta Quadrant. She had now been promoted to Vice Admiral at Starfleet, which moved Chakotay up to the commanding officer position upon  _Voyager_.

Snapping back to reality, Chakotay barked, "Lieutenant, lay in a course for the last known location of the escape pod and see if you can pick it up on sensors for a more precise location. Let's go rescue this Commander. I'll be in my Ready Room, but keep me informed," he added while leaving his chair and heading in to his private office.

Shortly after logging in the coordinates, Paris spun around in his chair.

"Okay, I'm just going to say it, but Commander Janeway? Does anyone else have anything to say?"

Harry Kim was the first to respond, "I don't know, Tom. Maybe Captain, I mean Admiral Janeway had a niece who joined Starfleet that was named after her or something."

Tom raised his eyebrows and cocked his head to the left. "Really, Harry? She never mentioned anything about a niece."

B'Elanna replied, "Well, it's not like we talk to her as much as we used to, Tom. She is a Vice Admiral now and while we do see her occasionally, it's not that we often get to discuss life with her. A lot has transpired in the years since our return from the Delta Quadrant. Maybe it was a surprise to her."

Tom shook his head, "Nope, I just don't buy it. B'Elanna, can you pull up Starfleet personnel records from that work station?"

Before B'Elanna could respond the Vulcan Tuvok piped up, "I do not believe that that is proper Starfleet protocol, Mr. Paris."

"Well, Tuvok, I'm going to beg to differ. It just so happens that this Commander Janeway sent out a distress signal. Why did the  _Excalibur_  not come to her rescue? If we're going to intercept someone, don't you think it might be a good idea that we find out a little bit about who we are going to rescue?"

Before Tuvok could even respond, B'Elanna had summoned Paris and Kim over to her console where she had pulled up the Starfleet biographical information on the Commander.

"Look at this," B'Elanna said pointing to the screen.

The biographical material provided highly detailed information of the achievements of the Commander while as a Cadet in Starfleet Academy, as well as her fast-paced climb up the command ladder and the various service records she had amassed in her career with Starfleet. Those viewing her biography were extremely impressed by her knowledge and skill. She had gone from an Ensign to a Commander in no time gaining the utmost respect and admiration from all levels within Starfleet. Her record was exemplary and it was apparent that she was on the fast track to be a Captain of a Starfleet vessel of her own. But it was the last sentence of the biographical data that captured all of their attention:

_Born in early 2379 in Cherokee, North Carolina and raised by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, Kathryn Shakonohey Janeway is the also daughter of Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway._

"Sha, what? How do you say her middle name?" Tom exclaimed over B'Elanna's shoulder.

"Shakonohey," Chakotay bluntly stated from behind the collective trio causing them to nearly jump out of their skin as none of them had even heard the doors to his ready room open. "Mr. Paris, if you can break away from the workstation long enough, you have the bridge."

They all couldn't help but notice how the word Shakonohey had flowed so smoothly off his tongue. B'Elanna, Harry and Tom all couldn't help but speculate. Curiosity was always one of Tom's worst downfalls and he always wanted to know more.

"B'Elanna, can you load a picture of her?" Tom questioned.

"Mr. Paris," Tuvok began, "I don't think that would be highly advisable at this time."

"Tuvok, can you honestly tell us that you didn't know Admiral Janeway had a daughter?" Lt. Kim quizzed the Vulcan.

"Mr. Kim, as you know as a Vulcan, we do not lie, unless it is directly told to us to do so. In this instance, I will not lie either, as no, I have had no knowledge whatsoever of Admiral Janeway having ever had any children. She has never said one word to me about that."

They all couldn't help but sit in silence for a moment.

"She was raised by the Cherokee Indians," B'Elanna mumbled to herself, "Which means that Admiral Janeway did not raise her. She must have given her up for adoption or maybe she adopted her as her own later in life?"

Paris shook his head, "No, B'Elanna. The date is significant. Early 2379, months after  _Voyager_ returned home to Earth. I believe she must have given birth to her and given her up for adoption. She is definitely her daughter, but it begs the question as to who her father is."

Before they could all respond, the doors to the turbolift opened and Captain Chakotay strolled on to the Bridge causing Lt. Commander Paris to retreat to his seat at the helm. To say that Chakotay's mind was spinning was a significant understatement. The woman from who he spent seven years serving under, one of his best and closest friends and quite likely the only woman he had ever loved, although he had never told her explicitly, had a daughter and had never told him about it. The year of birth was significant, as was her middle name, although it could have been bestowed up on her by the Cherokee. Rattled out of his thoughts, he heard B'Elanna ask him a question.

"I'm sorry, Lt. Torres, but did you say something?"

"Well, I guess I've been married to Tom too long because curiosity has bitten me, but just what does Shakonohey mean?"

Chakotay knew that while B'Elanna was probably probing for information, he also knew she was concerned about him and likely knew he was speculating himself.

"It is a Cherokee word which means 'The Land of the Blue Smoke'."

Before the bridge crew could respond or probe any further, Mr. Kim's station notified him that they had picked up a distress beacon coming from an escape pod. They initially tried to hail the pod, but upon receiving no response, Chakotay instructed them to lock on a tractor beam and pull it in to one of  _Voyager_ 's empty cargo bays. Chakotay messaged sickbay and ordered the Doctor to meet him in Cargo Bay Two immediately before turning to B'Elanna and motioning for her to join him, as well.

B'Elanna, Chakotay and the Doctor stood back as members of the security team opened the door of the escape pod. Upon peering inside, Chakotay saw a sight that he was not quite prepared for – a young Commander slumped to the side in her seat with blood seeping from the side of her head. Under careful observation, the Doctor entered the pod and slightly shook the Commander attempting to assess her injuries and hope to awaken her. The Doctor and his crew slowly removed the Commander from the escape pod and lay her on the floor of the cargo bay performing some initial triage.

B'Elanna could see Chakotay's expressions and knew what he was thinking, as she was likely thinking the same exact thing. The Doctor injected a hypospray in to the Commander's neck which slowly caused her to come to from her unconscious state. A noise slowly escaped from Chakotay, one that B'Elanna did not miss.

Taking a step closer to the Commander, Chakotay stood above her and said in a bare whisper, "Kathryn?"


	2. Chapter 2

A small smirk etched across the Commander's face before in a weak voice she responded, "Uh, no, it's Kate."

B'Elanna couldn't help but notice the glaring similarities between Commander Kate Janeway and her former commanding officer, the now Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway. She knew without a shadow of a doubt that this was most definitely Admiral Janeway's biological daughter as the resemblance was uncanny. But the speculation about who her father was escalated to a new level, although based on Chakotay's reaction and response, B'Elanna's theory had piqued in interest.

Kate tried to sit up, but the Doctor instructed her to remain still as he needed to treat her injuries.

"Where am I?" she strained to ask indicating some likely internal injuries and trouble breathing.

Chakotay, who was still watching her attentively responded, "You're onboard the  _USS Voyager_. We intercepted your distress call and came to aid in your rescue."

A flash went through her eyes. Was it fear? Was it recognition? What was that flash? B'Elanna thought to herself. Something had registered with this young woman, who B'Elanna immediately knew was tougher than most any other females she had ever met.

Kate's eyes settled on Chakotay, where she studied him with such intensity that it was almost unnerving for those in the room.

" _Voyager_?" she questioned before adding, "So, you must be Captain Chakotay?"

Before he could respond, the Doctor barked orders that Commander Janeway needed to be immediately transported to treat her injuries. The transporter performed an immediate site-to-site transport, which left Chakotay and B'Elanna behind in the cargo bay. Their past and friendship was strong, as she had served onboard his renegade Maquis team prior to joining then Captain Janeway's  _Voyager_ crew. He knew B'Elanna was filled with questions.

"Don't," he responded before she had even opened her mouth to say one word. But, it didn't stop her as she pressed on.

"Chakotay, did you even know she had a daughter?"

B'Elanna watched him intently and based on his reaction, she knew the answer was no. He turned to look her square in the eye, and the expression she saw within his eyes was almost like a storm – she saw hurt, anger, sadness, confusion, joy. It was all there.

"No, B'Elanna. I had no clue."

"But you two were so close, Chakotay. You talk to her and see her more than we do. How did she conceal her pregnancy and keep this all from us, especially from you?"

Chakotay knew the emotions that B'Elanna felt were likely how most of the crew was going to react. Kathryn Janeway, for seven years, had served not only as the Captain of this  _Voyager_  crew when they were trapped in the Delta Quadrant, but she ultimately had become a mother figure to all of them. She had conducted Tom and B'Elanna's wedding and was even the Godmother to their daughter, Miral. He knew B'Elanna would take this just as personal as he did, if not even more.

Chakotay put his hands on B'Elanna's shoulders. "B'Elanna, a lot has happened since  _Voyager_  came home all those years ago. While I do talk to the Vice Admiral and see her from time-to-time, it's not the type of discussions she and I used to share here on  _Voyager_. We're still friends, but the personal conversations have all but stopped. I hurt her, B'Elanna, right before we came back to Earth, and I don't think she can forgive me for that. After our return, she was whisked away to Starfleet Command where she was debriefed for hours, days and weeks even. Then she disappeared. I never speculated anything. I assumed she had returned to visit her family and distance herself from the crew and me in particular. The next thing I knew, she had obtained a promotion to Vice Admiral and had recommended me, which was a shock, to captain  _Voyager_. After that, it's rare that she and I have time to see or talk to each other. We do message each other often, but she's never shared any of this with me. I just…" and he paused trying to collect his thoughts before finishing, "this is all utterly baffling to me."

B'Elanna knew that she was the only person on  _Voyager_ that Chakotay would open up to and confide in, and while the cargo bay may not have been the most ideal location, it nonetheless was getting him to communicate. She wasn't exactly sure what he had meant by him hurting her, but she speculated it had something to do with his temporary fling, or whatever it was, with Seven of Nine. All the former crew on  _Voyager_  knew of the looks of longing that were often shared between Kathryn and Chakotay. Many times, B'Elanna, Tom and Harry, along with Neelix' help, plotted ways to force them together. But Kathryn always put Starfleet protocol ahead of her own personal desires and wishes. And while neither of them ever publicly confessed their love for each other to themselves or anyone else on the crew, it was beyond evident how much love, care and support existed between the two of them.

"Chakotay," B'Elanna began while placing a hand on his arm. "I don't know what happened between you and the Admiral prior to our return. But we all know that you both cared deeply for each other but were too stubborn to admit it. Knowing she has a child, I'm sure that hurts and stings on some level, but obviously, it doesn't mean she moved on, Chakotay. She gave birth to the child and gave her up for adoption, which doesn't make much sense unless the Admiral was trying to protect someone or something because she always seemed like she wanted to have children. Anyways, maybe Commander Janeway can shed some light on it for you. You've always had a good heart, Chakotay. Just listen to it and let the Spirits lead you. And down the road, maybe the Admiral will come to her senses, too."

Chakotay gave B'Elanna a quick hug and thanked her for always being his friend. Just before leaving the cargo bay, he glanced back one more time at the escape pod that Commander Janeway had been in for God only knows how long. His eyes landed on something sparkly and he walked back towards the escape pod to investigate.

"Chakotay, what is it?" B'Elanna questioned upon seeing the quizzical look on his face. She watched as he carefully bent down and picked up a necklace and held it in his hand. "Well, that's apparently not Starfleet standard issue," she tried to joke. But the utter serious look on his face almost scared her. B'Elanna made her way to where he was kneeling and she stood beside him. "Are you okay, Chakotay?"

Slowly he stood up. The chain of the necklace hanging over the back of his large hand. B'Elanna couldn't help but notice the delicate charm that lay in the palm of his hand. It was that of a star, but it was a star that, although clear looking, it almost seemed to change colors depending upon the angle of the light. "Wow, that's beautiful," B'Elanna all but gasped.

He couldn't help but smile showing off those perfect dimples that caused all females to swoon over him. "I know," he replied.

In that instance, B'Elanna realized he knew the necklace or had seen it somewhere before. "Chakotay?" she began but he cut her off.

"I gave this to her," he said barely audible.

"But, you've never met the Commander," B'Elanna protested.

His eyes looked up and met hers while his thumb caressed the star. "No, I didn't give this to the Commander. I gave this to Kathryn."

It was B'Elanna who couldn't help but gasp and raise a quizzical eyebrow, as well. "When? Are you sure? I mean couldn't it be a reproduction?"

He smirked knowing full-well that she'd be telling Tom, Harry and very likely Neelix all these stories much later on, but knowing she wouldn't let him off the hook, he answered her truthfully.

"No, it's one of a kind and I gave it to Kathryn in 2378 just weeks before we escaped the Delta Quadrant. I gave her this necklace as a birthday present."

B'Elanna looked at him with a funny expression on her face knowing that he had left other details out, but she wouldn't press him for more. Chakotay somewhat sighed with relief because he didn't want to tell her about the note he'd written in Kathryn's birthday card nor the reason behind why he gave her a star necklace. Thankfully, they both let the topic drop.

"Well, Chakotay, it looks like you may need to make a trip down to sickbay to deliver her possessions back to her. Oh, to be a fly on the wall for this one," she jokingly added which resulted in a glare from the fearless Indian warrior as they strode out of the cargo bay doors.

After a brief stop by his personal quarters where Chakotay took a moment to collect his thoughts and attempt to ease his swirling mind, he eventually left and headed towards sickbay to check in on Commander Janeway. Upon his arrival, he noticed that she was laying on one of the bio beds in an eerily similar manner to how he had seen Kathryn lay in times past.

"Ah, Captain Chakotay, so nice of you to drop by," the Doctor stated. "I assume you'd like a status report on the Commander's injuries?"

Chakotay simply nodded.

"Well, she had a few broken ribs, which will have to heal on their own, and she had quite a number of lacerations throughout her body. The blood loss, along with the bump and cut on her head, is what caused her to lose consciousness, but overall, she is going to be just fine. I'll likely release her in a few hours."

"Thank you, Doctor," Chakotay added while making his way over towards the bio bed where Kate Janeway lay staring in his direction.

"I'm glad to hear that you are going to be just fine." He couldn't help but stare at her, as he had similarly just stared at a photograph of himself and Kathryn that he had in his quarters. She looked so much like her mother, it was uncanny, but he searched her face for any additional recognition of any other mannerism that may not be characteristic to that of her mothers.

"I owe my thanks to you, Captain, and to your crew for coming to my rescue as there is no telling how long it would have taken me to travel to Deep Space K-7 and whether I would have even survived."

He couldn't help but be mesmerized by her. Looking at her, it made him think of Kathryn. Their voices did not even come close to matching. She was much taller than Kathryn but so much else was exactly reminiscent of her. Bringing his thoughts back to reality, he stated, "Well, we never want to leave any crewmember behind. Speaking of which, why did the  _Excalibur_ leave you all but abandoned?"

At the mere mention of the word  _Excalibur_ , he couldn't help but notice how her body language almost tensed.

"Captain," she began, "that is a long story and quite a sore subject, but I will openly share that with you, although right now, I just want to rest. Could we discuss maybe later, over dinner?"

He smirked. Bold, just like her mother, he couldn't help but think to himself. She noticed the smirk and immediately read his thoughts. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so bold and forward. I didn't mean it quite the way it sounded."

He laughed and when he did, she recognized his full smile and dimples. She was immediately smitten herself.

"Dinner will be fine. I'll work with the crew and get your quarters set up for you. But, please join me for dinner in my quarters at say 1900?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," she added and was fixing to add more when they were interrupted.

"Bridge to Captain Chakotay," Lt. Commander Paris proclaimed.

"Chakotay here," came the reply.

"Umm, Captain, I'm not sure how to let you know this but we just received a notification from Starfleet Command. They are aware of our rescue mission and have ordered us to Deep Space K-7 where Vice Admiral Janeway will be awaiting the arrival of Commander Janeway."

"Acknowledged. Lay in the course, Mr. Paris. Chakotay out."

Chakotay heard the moan coming from Commander Janeway and thought she was in pain until she said words he thought he'd never hear.

"Oh shit, it's about to hit the fan now."

Quizzically he raised his eyebrows at the Commander's response to hearing that the Vice Admiral, her mother, would be awaiting their arrival.

"I'm sorry, Captain. Forgive my language. Can we proceed at the slowest impulse speed possible?" she added with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

He couldn't help but chuckle. "I'll see what I can do about that, but it seems now our dinner conversation may have to include some additional items."

She rolled her eyes in a way that made him think of Kathryn all the more. He turned to leave sickbay before he realized he had something of hers. He turned back and held out his hand.

"I think this must be yours," he added while dropping the necklace in to her hand and carefully observing her reaction.

A faint smile crept across her face and she nodded her head in appreciation but spoke no words.

Judging by his reaction, Commander Kate Janeway had a sneaking suspicion that she had just gained a vital piece to her puzzle of life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Location: Captain Chakotay's Quarters onboard the** _**USS Voyager** _

1900 hours came quickly for Commander Janeway. She had spent a portion of the afternoon in her quarters adjusting to her surroundings and trying to take in all that had happened. While she had none of her personal possessions, aside from her uniform and her necklace, the crew of  _Voyager_  had been accommodating and provided her with an assortment of clothes, including a new uniform. Since she was still recovering from her injuries, she elected to wear something casual to dinner with the Captain. Taking the turbolift down one deck, she hesitated, albeit briefly, before pressing the door chime for his quarters, which she suspected used to be her mother's living quarters –  _oh the irony_ , she thought to herself.

Upon entering his quarters, she found the lighting low, a few candles scattered throughout the room and some soft Native American music playing. She couldn't help but glance around the room noticing the Native American décor scattered here and there. In some strange way, she felt at home.

"May I?" she asked Chakotay as she reached out to touch one of the Native American artifacts that he had displayed on a shelf.

He came and stood alongside her as she carefully observed the artifact. "My great grandfather gave that to me as a young boy. It is something I treasure."

She smiled and returned it to his proper location. "I take it you didn't grow up on Earth?"

"That obvious, huh?"

She smiled a smile that reminded him of one he rarely saw from Kathryn.

"I was actually born on Earth, but our tribe eventually departed Earth and took up residence elsewhere. I always maintained ties with various Native American tribes on Earth, and I still have some family there, as well. My roots are there naturally." He paused for a moment and motioned for her to take a seat at the dining table. "Your middle name, Shakonohey, its Cherokee, isn't it?"

"Very perceptive, Captain," she was about to continue before he stopped her.

"Chakotay, please."

"Kate for me then," she added watching his reaction. "Shakonohey is indeed Cherokee. It stands for Land of the Blue Smoke, which I'm sure you already are aware of. But it is very meaningful to me as it is also the portion of the country that I grew up in – the Great Smoky Mountains. The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians."

He placed some food on her plate before seating himself directly across from her. "While I am quite curious about your upbringing, I want to know more about the  _Excalibur_  before we have to encounter the Vice Admiral. I want to be briefed in advance, in the event you need back up."

She couldn't help but laugh, "You'd stand up to the Vice Admiral for me? Now, I know I'm going to like you."

He didn't reply, but deep down, he knew he'd lay down his life for Kathryn Janeway and if push came to shove, he'd likely be willing to do the same for her daughter, as well.

"Anyways, I was serving as the First Officer on the  _Excalibur_  but to say my relationship with Captain Calhoun was rocky is a strong understatement. Why he even took me onboard as his First Officer, I don't know. He never liked me from the start. I was constantly ridiculed and put up with a bunch of crap. The crew all seemed to really adore me, and to be honest, I think that's what ultimately pissed him off – that the crew liked me better than him. I think he felt threatened that they may stage a coup and overthrow him or something. Not to mention that once he found out who my mother was, that pushed him over the edge even further as apparently she had reprimanded him at some point in prior years. Anyways, I was excited about the promotion to First Officer of a starship. It was an honor and one that I wanted to uphold.

"As you well know the First Officer is to defend and protect the Captain and be their right hand, so to speak, but that was often difficult for me as Calhoun and I so often butted heads. Eventually, he decided to send me in the  _Sequoia_  on a mission to Capella IV to do a trade/rescue mission. It was going to be quite daunting as one of our crewmen, Blakeley Adley, was being held captive there. We in turn had one of their natives. So, naturally they agreed to an exchange under certain terms and conditions. Calhoun was too chicken to do the mission himself. So, thinking it would likely result in my own capture, he sent me solo with the captive to Capella IV. I was loaded to the hilt with weapons and successfully rescued Adley and airlifted back off Capella IV."

She took a pause to sip her wine and Chakotay could immediately tell her mood changed.

"When I got back to the  _Sequoia_ , I was greeted with a message from  _Excalibur_ saying they had been called away on an emergency mission. We were to proceed to Deep Space K-7 where they would drop off our personal belongings until they returned. Sounded to me, like he was basically relieving me of my command or ultimately he didn't expect me to survive the escapade on Capella IV. In essence he did something that no real Starfleet captain would ever do – he abandoned and left behind two of his crew members."

In between bites, she continued her narrative.

"I had Adley do a search to ensure we had enough supplies to make it to K-7, which we did. We sent out a message to  _Excalibur_  notifying them of the successful mission, but it, of course, went unanswered. A day or two while en route to K-7, out of the sheer blue a smaller Borg cube appeared. Adley panicked as he had never had any sort of encounter with the Borg. I remained calm, or as calm as I could. They attacked  _Sequoia_  and Adley was killed immediately. As hard as that was for me, I had to muster the strength to press onward. I was going to go down with my ship should it be necessary as I was not about to be assimilated by the Borg. I devised the plan that would set the  _Sequoia_ on a collision course with this smaller cube, which was very small in comparison to their others. The  _Sequoia_  had been loaded with enough items that it should detonate the cube upon impact, while I would hopefully escape in the sole escape pod that  _Sequoia_  had. I did sustain quite a bit of injuries, obviously, but the mission was successful. I entered the pod shortly after setting a high-speed collision course and quite literally escaped the shuttle as it was impacting with the cube. The explosion of the cube sent me shuttling further out in to space and obviously knocked me unconscious. When I woke up, I was quite rattled and unsure where I was. I was barely able to sit in the seat to log in the coordinates of K-7 and send out the distress signal. In so many ways, I never expected anyone to find me. But fortunately, and somewhat ironically, you did."

Chakotay couldn't help but reach out and touch her hand. "You are beyond brave, Kate. You single-handedly took on the Borg and took them out. That ought to put you at the head of Starfleet."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Yeah, I doubt the Vice Admiral would handle that too well," she added with a hint of sarcasm that was slightly laced with a trace of hostility. "But before we talk about that, who is currently serving as  _Voyager_ 's First Officer?"

The question caught Chakotay off-guard as he had not anticipated her to ask that. "Well, to be quite honest with you, we currently don't have one. Yes, I know that is not typical Starfleet protocol. But right before we came to rescue you, we had just left Earth where we dropped off our former First Officer. He had commitments that came up at home and rather than taking a leave of absence as we assumed, he resigned. We then intercepted your distress signal and made haste to your rescue. I didn't have time to appoint anyone else. Why? You interested in the job?" he added with a wink and a smile that nearly made her cave.

"Don't make me an offer you can't refuse, Chakotay, because believe you me, I would do just about anything to serve on  _Voyager_  and serve as your First Officer."

He smiled at her and pondered why her love for this ship and if it could be related to that of her Mother's love for this ship. He decided to change the subject. "Was dinner okay?"

"Oh, it was amazing! Thank you so much. I haven't eaten that well in quite a long time. I really appreciate all you've done to help make me feel at home and welcome thus far. Your crew has been nothing but accommodating and welcoming."

"I'm glad to. If you're not too tired, would you like to sit and chat for a while longer?" he asked while rising and motioning towards the sofa and chair that lined the viewport windows.

She didn't reply but stood and walked with her wine glass in hand and took a seat on the sofa peering out the window in to the darkness. He couldn't help but flashback to the memories he had shared with Kathryn, ironically in this very room, as she would often stare out the window while he cleaned the table and put the wine bottle out for them. Chakotay couldn't help but notice that Kate was wearing the necklace and it was sparking in the glow of the soft light.

"That's an absolutely beautiful necklace," he added drawing her back to reality.

A faint smile crept upon her face and disappeared as quickly as it came. She toyed with the star briefly before replying.

"Thank you. My mother gave it to me upon being promoted to the Commander position."

Chakotay was curious as to why Kathryn would wait until that moment to give it to her, so he couldn't help but pry. "That's an interesting time to give you something like that. I assumed maybe a birthday or graduation present, but then again becoming a Commander is a pretty prestigious honor."

Glancing at him, she couldn't help but ponder where this line of questioning was coming from. But she knew she could trust him, so she was willing to open up.

"My Mother, as you probably know, is a woman of great mystery and emotions. Some days she is too much by the book and then other days, she surprises you and lets her real identity come out. When I received the promotion to Commander, it was a very humbling moment for me. I had been onboard one of my prior vessels when I received the initial promotion, but upon returning to Starfleet Command they officially promoted me to Commander, which was all prior to the  _Excalibur_  ordeal. She had me join her for dinner one evening at her home to celebrate and to also discuss life as she knew it would likely be quite some time before we saw each other again. Before I left that evening, she handed me a box and when I opened it, I was awestruck by the sheer beauty of the necklace and the ornate design. She told me that no matter where I was in the universe and galaxy, that I would always be her star and when I needed her the most, to just hold the star in my hand and she would be with me. She said anytime she looked to the stars, she would always see the twinkle in my eyes reflecting back at her. It was a very touching moment.

"When I asked her where she had gotten it from, she silently paused and I knew it was a bittersweet moment. She took my hands in hers and said words that I'll never forget. She said Kathryn, which I hate being called, this necklace was given to me on my birthday many years ago by someone who means a great deal to me. She said that she thought the individual who gave her the necklace would be humbled and honored that she passed it along to me. She said she wore the necklace every day of her life and never took it off until she heard I was getting the promotion. She knew that no matter how far away she was from the one who gave the necklace to her, that person was only a touch of her neck away, and she wanted me to have that same feeling should I need her. She never said who that person was, whether a man or woman, but it was very evident to me that it is someone she cares a great deal for."

Hearing those words, Chakotay couldn't respond because he knew ultimately that Kathryn was telling Kate about him, and he didn't know just what all she knew about her own personal life. Attempting to swallow the lump in his throat, he spoke.

"That's a very thoughtful gift, and you're right, Kathryn is a woman of great mystery. The seven years I spent with her here on  _Voyager_ , were some of the best of my life. I'd never trade those moments and the lessons I learned for anything. You remind me of her in so many ways. But I must ask, none of us here on the crew were ever aware of her having a daughter and I gather from your reaction earlier that something may have gone awry. Care to fill me in on your life history in the event I'm about to witness a fight when we arrive at K-7? If it's too personal, please don't feel pressured, as I would never want you to think I was prying."

Kate leaned across the table and patted Chakotay on the knee, another thing that Kathryn used to do.

"Chakotay, I may have only known you for a few hours, but for some strange reason, I feel like I've known you forever. Maybe it's our Native American heritage or something, but there's a kinship there and one that says I can trust you explicitly. Not to mention, if the Vice Admiral trusted you as much as she did, I know I can additionally open up and confide in you and know my secrets will remain safe."

He was humbled by her comments and couldn't help but smile.

"That being said, my life is a complicated mess. But the short and sweet is that I never knew my Mother. She gave birth to me and subsequently gave me to the Cherokee people to raise. I knew I was named after her, and she had chosen my middle name, as well. I was told she was a strong, brave leader in the space exploration world. And as a young child, I knew I wanted to explore the world and universe, as well. How I came to finally meet my Mother is quite a unique story, so allow me to give you a flashback to my arrival at Starfleet Academy, which will culminate in explaining my reaction earlier in sickbay."

He slowly nodded his head while they both simultaneously sipped some wine before she slipped in to her narrative.

_When I arrived at Starfleet Academy, I was initially overwhelmed by the size of the campus, as you can only imagine coming from a small, rural Native American tribe situated in the mountains of the East Coast of the United States. I knew that my Mother was likely somewhere on campus as I had done some research to determine she was no longer actually captaining a ship. I didn't have any idea what she looked like, and I actually told most everyone my last name was Shakonohey so they wouldn't think anything about me being the Vice Admiral's relative._

_Upon our arrival and after briefly being escorted to our dormitories, we were led to the large assembly hall where a ceremony was held to welcome all of the new incoming cadets. I sat towards the middle of the room and mingled with some individuals who would become my lifelong friends. As the various speakers began to take the stage, I was immediately drawn to the female that took to the stage in the middle of the group. Upon first glance, I knew immediately she was Kathryn Janeway, my Mother, and I could immediately see a strong resemblance between the two of us. She gave a brief welcoming statement and offered encouraging words to the cadets._

_Shortly after the ceremony, I was walking with some fellow cadets down one of the hallways when the Vice Admiral and a couple other fellow admirals were walking in our direction. We all nodded our heads in acknowledgment and I couldn't help but briefly lock eyes with her. I noticed she held my eye contact a little longer and her facial expression slightly changed. We continued to walk past, but I could feel eyes upon me from behind. Instinctively, I glanced backwards to find that she had stopped in her tracks and was staring back in my direction. I couldn't help but give her a smile and turned back towards my business. I firmly believe in that moment that her maternal instincts kicked in and she had a gut feeling or her mind started to spin or something._

_Over the course of the next few days, prior to us obtaining our class schedules, I spent a lot of time outdoors utilizing the various exercise equipment, exploring, reading and just enjoying the atmosphere, which I was so accustomed to from back home. Several times, I felt that someone was watching me and one time I caught her staring at me from a distance. She never approached me, nor ever said a word directly to me, but I always knew she was there watching me._

_When our class schedules came out, it was revealed that I had been placed in one of Vice Admiral Janeway's classes. A wave of panic hit me because I knew once she saw the roster, that my identity would be revealed. I knew when they called roll in class that many of my friends were going to be confused and ultimately think injustice or favoritism. So, I had to develop a quick cover story and pray that she wouldn't do anything to cause too much attention, yet secretly, I couldn't help but wait to see her reaction upon calling from the roll that morning._

_To say that I was one of the youngest in her class was a complete understatement, as I was practically the baby of the entire Academy. Fortunately, I was gifted academically and was able excel and that's how I was able to be placed immediately in her class, which was one of the toughest I have ever taken in my life._

_I'll never forget that first day of class for as long as I live._

_My friends and I arrived early and took seats about midway towards the back of the classroom with Michael, to my left, Valencia to my right, Hudson directly in front of me and Keegan directly behind me. We were all slightly apprehensive as we knew how demanding and tough she could be. Shockingly, for once in her life, she was late arriving to class and admitted she had not been able to glance over the roster, which she liked to do in advance so she could read a little about our life history to better acquaint herself with us. I let out a sigh of relief at that realization._

_She started calling roll with Cadet Abrams on down the line. The closer she got to the letter J, the more nervous I got but I dug deep and remembered the words of wisdom the tribal leaders had taught me of patience, courage, strength, wisdom and calmness. I could immediately tell my name was next as she all but halted midstream and paused. Her face did a quick morph but transitioned right back to her serious expression when she called out 'Cadet Janeway'. When I replied and raised my hand, she peered towards me with those eerily scary, steely eyes. We held a gaze for albeit a brief second as my friends were making all sorts of confused noises. I felt she was reading my inner soul and I had to illustrate a complete calm and show no sign of fear or apprehension towards her. She continued on with the rest of the roster and immediately started class. I fully expected to be held after class to talk to her, but as soon as class was over, my friends practically drug me out of the classroom demanding answers. They started haranguing me declaring I was related, etc. I replied that while she and I shared the same name, I had never met her in my entire life. I explained to them that I was raised on the Cherokee Indian Reservation and that I must have been named after her._

_The irony of it all is that she never once confronted me, she never called me out on my name or the possibility of who I was. She often called on me in class, almost as if she were challenging me and each and every single time, I rose to the occasion and answered her question correctly. She seemed surprised, impressed, maybe even pleased. On the last day of class, she announced that we could complete our final examinations, wait while she graded them and when she would return us our examination, we were free to go. We would receive a communication at a later date of whether we passed or failed the class. That was a little unnerving because every other time we usually completed our exams, turned them in and left to have them returned the next day or so. I felt she was up to something, but I didn't dare question her._

_What happened next, still slightly gives me chills._

_I completed my exam and approached her desk, where she sat grading a few others. I lay my exam booklet down on her desk and returned to my seat and began studying for another examination I had later that day in a different class. A few minutes later, I felt a presence hovering over me and realized she was standing at my desk. I glanced up to find her staring intently at me. She'd never been that close to me, ever. I looked up to find the faintest smirk on her face and a sparkle in her eyes. In her hand, she held my examination booklet. She didn't say one word but I knew she was studying me with great intensity. I took the book from her and watched as she walked back. It wasn't a threatening look or anything of the sort, but it was almost as if she were telling me, yes, I know who you are. That entire semester, in a way, she protected me. She could've blown my cover and let the whole class know that I was her daughter, but I think she knew that I would sustain ridicule and other comments, so she kept to herself. I flipped open my booklet and revealed an A+ with a note that said "The highest grade ever recorded in my class. Pretty impressive for a young cadet like yourself. Congratulations."_

_I couldn't help but smile and glanced up towards where she was seated at her desk staring back at me. The look on her face registered shock when I smiled and it confused me at first. Then she made a nod with her head and I flipped over a page or two in my examination booklet to find a hand-written note on her personal stationary in her, oh so distinctive handwriting. It said "Cadet Janeway, Please report to my apartment tonight at 1800 hours. Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway."_

_I nearly dropped the booklet from my hand in sheer shock and disbelief. I hid behind Hudson, thanking God he was a big fellow so she wouldn't see my expression. Eventually, I strode out the door and went to a brief lunch with my classmates. We were all relieved to be done with Vice Admiral Janeway's class because it was a complete bear. They all made mention of how they felt she had a stare-down with me for a few brief seconds. Valencia even said something about how it made her nervous and uncomfortable. Hudson said he thought the Vice Admiral was jealous of me for doing so well in her class. I just shrugged my shoulders and thought to myself, if they only knew!_

_The end of the first semester sent many of my friends returning home briefly for the holidays. Since my journey was quite expanse, I had already elected to stay behind at Starfleet Academy and spend the holidays there. So when they all left that afternoon, it wasn't a surprise to them that I was remaining behind._

_That evening, I finally made my way, albeit with somewhat hesitation, to Vice Admiral Janeway's apartment. Upon reaching the door, part of me wanted to run and hide as I was not sure what was about to transpire. I gently knocked on the door and was pleasantly surprised to find that she had dressed in more relaxed clothing, unlike myself who was still in my cadet uniform. She welcomed me in to her home, which was nicely decorated. I couldn't help but notice some of the pictures that adorned the shelves and various little alcoves in her home. I didn't know what to say and she didn't either at first, so we spent a few seconds just studying each other, although those seconds seemed like hours._

_She called me Kathryn, to which I held up my hand and shook my head and asked that she please call me Kate. She smiled and agreed before she dropped the bombshell that we all knew was the ultimate elephant in the room. She stated without any hesitation that she knew I was her daughter and that she was my mother. In some crazy and chaotic way, I really think she expected me to explode at her and be very upset, but in that moment, some strange peace engulfed me. I didn't feel any hatred or any animosity towards her in any way. I think my lack of response or reaction surprised her and maybe even humbled her. She asked if I'd like to talk about it, and I told her that I absolutely would love to discuss things with her._

_Mom, which I do now call her on occasion, proceeded to tell me that during her years on Voyager, she had built up walls and protected herself. Initially, she told herself she would not get involved with anyone onboard since she was engaged to be married and she was the captain of the ship and had a reputation to uphold. She said early on in their voyage, she met someone who she could foresee herself falling madly in love with. She used every Starfleet excuse in the book to keep her from falling in to love. Anyways, the short and sweet is apparently a few weeks before their encounter with the Borg, which ultimately led to their return to Earth, during a private birthday dinner, she ended up succumbing to her weakness and allowed herself to be the real Kathryn for one evening onboard Voyager. She said Kathryn was floating on a cloud, but the Captain side of her was scolding herself for allowing herself to become so vulnerable. So the following days and weeks, she put up a distance between herself and the other individual even though deep inside of her own being she was aching for a love like that which she had never experienced before._

_Eventually, they had the encounter with the Borg and returned to Earth. She ended up likely hurting him, but she herself said she had gotten hurt when she realized he was involved with someone else. She felt guilty because she felt that she had used him while he was involved with someone else. She felt like he had cheated on his partner with her, and she couldn't live with that thought. She additionally added that when she saw how happy he seemed with her, it ultimately crushed her because the night they shared together, she knew she had been in love with him for years and her birthday evening, had solidified that's who she had wanted to spend her life with. Yet a few days later when she saw him with his partner, she was devastated._

_Upon her arrival back at Earth, she endured numerous briefings with Starfleet Command before she finally took a leave of absence to go spend time and reconnect with her family. While there, she discovered she was pregnant, which was a complete shock to her because she thought she had been up-to-date on her vaccinations and screenings. She knew immediately who the father was, but she couldn't say anything to him because she knew he was already involved with someone else and she would never do anything to hurt him and jeopardize his happiness and relationship._

_Realizing that she was likely about to be appointed to a Vice Admiral position, she had a tough decision to make because while she wanted nothing more than to be a mother, she wasn't prepared for the additional questions that would arise, nor was she absolutely certain she could raise a child on her own with all the demands that would be upon her as Vice Admiral. She elected to go on a soul trek and ended up on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in North Carolina where she met Lottie Walker, who became my adopted mother. Kathryn discussed her situation with Lottie and the Tribal Chief and together they agreed to raise the baby as one of their own._

_She said after she gave birth to me and subsequently returned to Starfleet Command, she went through a severe depression and immediately regretted the decision she made. She became a Vice Admiral and wanted to embark on a journey as far away from Earth as she could. She spent some time out on Deep Space Nine before she eventually returned to Earth to take on an active role at Starfleet. She immersed herself in work, but there was never a day that she didn't think of her daughter. She said there were times she attempted to go back to Cherokee to reclaim her, but always stopped as she wanted her daughter to be raised in a different life than she could provide for her._

_By the end of the story, she was profusely apologizing for hurting me, for abandoning me, for not being the mother I deserved and everything. I'd never seen such a strong woman so open and vulnerable. I moved from my location on the couch and knelt down in front of where she sat and just wrapped my arms around her and held her. At first, I thought I had crossed a line but she eventually held on to me for dear life. I told her I had no ill-will towards her. From that moment, she and I started spending a lot of time with each other. She said the first day she saw me walking the halls with the other cadets, something in her heart told her that I was her daughter and she said when I smiled, she knew the smile and it took her breath away because it mirrored my father's smile._

_Naturally, I ended up spending the holidays with her and continued to bond and form a strong relationship. She never helped me in any way to advance within Starfleet, as I told her I wanted to prove myself to her and everyone else. While I was beyond proud to be her daughter, I didn't expect others to give me positions because of who she was; I made it absolutely clear to her that I wanted no favors from her or anyone at Starfleet._

_She told me time and time again that while I looked like her, I was more natured like my father, yet she never really provided much information about him. During one of our dinners, which became more and more frequent during my latter years at Starfleet, she pulled out a photo album and wanted me to take a look at some pictures from over the years. A lot were from her childhood and then various service positions within Starfleet, but the section that drew my attention the most were of the photos of her with various members from the Voyager crew. In those years, she seemed to look the happiest and most content. I couldn't help but notice that some of those same pictures she had framed and scattered throughout her home, as well. In particular was a picture of you and her that immediately caught my attention. I paused on it and she said 'Chakotay was the finest Commander that I have ever known. He was more than my First Officer, he is the one I trust the most and above all, he was my closest friend.'_

_She didn't say much more and when I pressed her about what Native American tribe you were from; instead, she immediately changed the subject. At that moment, I knew I had struck a nerve with her and likely had found the missing piece to my puzzle._

_Upon my graduation, I was promoted almost immediately to the rank of Ensign and sent on my first vessel, the USS Patriot. I served there off and on for a number of years performing various tasks within Engineering, Astrometrics and ultimately Command. My favorite role was when I was allowed to step in at the helm, as I absolutely loved flying the orbiter throughout the universe. While on the Patriot, I climbed up to Lt. Commander, before I eventually transferred over to the USS Defiant. I served a brief stint on the Defiant followed by an interim stay upon the Enterprise and then a short transfer over to the Titan before ultimately returning to the Patriot. While serving on the Patriot, I performed one of the outdoor maneuvers to repair some exterior damage done to the ship. It was during my term on the Patriot that I was promoted to the rank of Commander. I served as the First Officer on Patriot in an interim basis while our then Commander was out on a leave of absence. Upon his return, I returned to Starfleet Command, where I officially earned my Commander pips._

_Knowing that I wouldn't be able to serve as Commander on the Patriot, I surveyed some of the openings with various other vessels and realized that the First Officer position on Voyager had become available. Immediately, I jumped at the opportunity and met with Admiral Jameson about the opportunity. Everyone assumed that since my mother had commanded the ship that was the reason that I wanted to join, which was far from the case. Admiral Jameson gave me the necessary paperwork to submit to Starfleet. I knew the protocol that Starfleet would review the applications and then submit a handful to the Captain of the ship for him to review and make the ultimate decision._

_Over the course of the next few weeks, I took a leave and returned to Cherokee to visit with my relatives, while waiting on Starfleet's decision, which I firmly believed would be in my favor. I had a nice visit with my adoptive family and it was so lovely to catch them up on my life and see how things had changed for them. Upon my return to Starfleet Command, Admiral Jameson called me in his office. The look on his face baffled me, and what happened next, is something that will never leave me._

_He proceeded to tell me that while I was likely the most qualified candidate for the First Officer position upon Voyager, my request had been denied. Initially, I thought maybe you had denied it, and when I questioned him, he shook his head negative. He stated that while the committee of the admirals had voted unanimously to submit my request to Captain Chakotay that a block had come through from another source. My gut instinct knew exactly who had blocked me, and I think he read my body language. While he wouldn't confirm or deny, the look in his eyes was that of frustration. He slipped a piece of paper over towards me to glance at, and I immediately recognized the handwriting. Before he could even reply to let me know about my new appointment, I shot up out of the chair and jerked opened the door. Ironically enough, standing outside in the hallway up against a glass window was the one that I knew blocked me from fulfilling my dream of serving aboard Voyager – Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway._


	4. Chapter 4

Chakotay continued to shake his head in almost disbelief at hearing Kate's story before he finally interrupted her narrative.

"I can't believe she would do that. That's not the Kathryn that I know. I'm honored to know how much you wanted to serve on this ship, and while I would have likely been confused had I seen your application come across my desk, after reviewing your prior service record, there would have been no hesitation at all. Did you confront her about this? And I'm assuming this is the reason for you reaction earlier this evening in sickbay?"

Kate smirked and raised her eyebrow in a manner that Chakotay knew that the Indian warrior within her likely released its fury on her own mother.

"Chakotay, when I jerked open that door and saw her standing there, part of me wanted to pick her up and throw her through that glass window. I had never in my entire life been so upset and so mad, but I knew I couldn't react too irrationally because there were other Admirals present and I couldn't allow them to see me react in such a way that it would harm my Starfleet career, although at that point, I could have cared less about Starfleet. I went and stood straight in front of her mere inches separating us with my body hovering slightly above her forcing her to know that she didn't intimidate me. I gave her one of the worst death glares that I could muster and just shook my head in utter disgust. In a bare whisper, I told her that she made me sick before I turned on my heels and stormed off down the hallway."

By this time, Kate stood from her position on the couch and started pacing around Chakotay's quarters. He watched as she did this, as it was something he often did himself when he was uptight and in a way to calm himself back down, he would pace. Ironically enough, it was something Kathryn did, too, and the manner in which Kate was pacing made him realize their similarities went beyond just physical resemblances.

"I've never been so mad, so upset, so hurt by anyone. Later that evening, as I was communicating with my fiancée, oh yes, I am engaged by the way. He serves as the Chief Medical Officer onboard Deep Space Nine, Doctor Michael Killarney. But anyways, as I was talking to Michael, the chime to my door rang. I knew it was her, and while part of me didn't want to even see her, I knew I may as well grab the bull by its horns and get it over with. I was either going to end up in the brig for life or I was going to go somewhere far, far away and try to process this, but ultimately, I wanted answers."

Chakotay watched her as she resumed her seat on the couch and slipped back in to her narrative.

_I allowed her in my apartment but refused to offer her any drink or anything of significance. I sat there in my chair watching her shaking my head repeatedly at her. A month earlier, she and I had had a wonderful evening celebrating my promotion to Commander when she gave me the lovely necklace and told me how she'd always be with me and always support me, yet one month later, Kathryn was gone and was replaced by the cold-hearted Vice Admiral who had basically stabbed me in my back. In no uncertain terms, I unleashed on her and told her those exact words. I told her my dream since entering Starfleet had always been to serve on the Enterprise and Voyager. I had accomplished one of those dreams, and I not so kindly reminded her how she always promised me that she'd help me achieve any dream should I need help. Yet the one time that I wanted one thing, she was the one to stop it. She had the audacity to try to claim she didn't block it and it took every ounce of strength in me not to slap her. I told her that it wasn't my gut instinct, which never lied, that solidified how I knew, but rather I had seen her handwriting – handwriting that I would recognize above anyone else's. And she paled._

_I stood directly over her and spat "I want answers and now." I asked her to please explain to me the truth for why she didn't want me on Voyager. I secretly had reason why I felt she didn't want me on this ship, but I wanted to hear it from her mouth. She dodged the question and claimed she wanted me to make a path of my own and not follow in her footsteps by serving on the ship she did. To which I immediately replied that she never served as First Officer of Voyager that was Chakotay's job. When I said your name, lightning shot through her eyes, and I knew that was the reason she didn't want me on Voyager. To her, there would only ever be one First Officer onboard Voyager, and that was you. She didn't want me to replace you because I think she still felt she was the Captain of Voyager, but then additionally, I don't believe she wanted me to get close to you because it would ultimately mean the two of us would figure out the big secret she had been holding on to for all these years. She was determined that no matter what it took, she would stop me from getting onboard Voyager._

_Over the course of the next few hours, I ended up saying a lot of things I wish I could take back and ultimately regret. I blame a lot of my lashing out maybe even on hidden or suppressed emotions from my childhood. But ultimately, I told her that as my Mother she had let me down. She had no valid reason for blocking me from serving on Voyager other than her own personal agenda and motives. I told her that I was hurt and angered by her decisions and that ultimately and regretfully, I told her I wished I had never known her._

The look on Chakotay's face was all that Kate needed. She knew, daily she knew, hourly, every single second she knew she shouldn't have said what she said to her mother. And here, Chakotay's reaction was visibly acknowledging her mistake. Knowing Kathryn like he did, he knew that statement ultimately crushed her, and while Kate didn't likely mean it, the damage had been done. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks and while he wanted to reach out and hold her, as he secretly suspected she was indeed his daughter, he didn't want to cross any barriers just yet.

"Kate," he almost whispered. She had turned her head almost as if she were trying to hide the tears. "I know you didn't mean what you said to her. I know you love her, I can see it in your eyes. I saw you staring at the photograph over on my shelf a little while ago of Kathryn and myself. I saw the love you have in your eyes for her. Yes, I'm sure that stung and hurt her, but if she dwelt on it long enough, I'm sure she realized that in some way, she may have actually deserved it. She had no right to do what she did to you. Her logic doesn't even make sense. She's running from something herself and until her stubborn, hard head will realize it, there's nothing you can do."

A faint smile turned up the corner of her lips and cheeks. She knew he was right because she knew Chakotay knew Kathryn better than anyone else. She silently scanned the room and waited as she knew he had more to ask.

"So, exactly how did you end up on the  _Excalibur_  then?"

The noise she made reminded Chakotay of a noise that the Klingon in B'Elanna occasionally made and he knew this was about to escalate even further. He watched as she took a long sip of her wine before she resumed.

_I knew she was hurt by my words and accusations, but ultimately, I think deep down she knew I had absolute reason to say the things that I did. She tried to hug me and I backed away from her. As she stood to leave, I could see the mask coming back on. It's a scary thing to watch as she morphs from the kind-hearted and loving Kathryn, to the cold-hearted and conniving Vice Admiral. She morphed quickly and drew out a PADD from her bag. Placing it on my table she said "These are your orders. Congratulations, Commander. You're the First Officer of the Excalibur."_

_She retreated for the door quickly and as she did I picked up the PADD and launched it at the door. It hit the doors just as they closed and shattered into a thousand pieces. The Excalibur! I was now more pissed than ever. The one ship that I had desperately tried to avoid my entire Starfleet career solely because I could not tolerate their Commanding Officer. The Vice Admiral had stabbed me in the back by not allowing me on Voyager, and now she was twisting the knife deeper in to my being by forcing me on to a ship that she knew I detested with a passion._

Chakotay stared at Kate in disbelief. More and more he realized that this did not sound at all like the Kathryn he knew. Something had happened to her because she would never backstab anyone quite so deliberately. Was someone pulling her strings or did she have a hidden motive? He knew Kate couldn't be lying to him. She had no reason to, and her raw emotions were allowing him to see her inner self. Before him sat a young woman who all her life wanted to know her mother, then she meets her mother and forms a close relationship with her but once the daughter starts climbing the ladder in Starfleet the mother goes off the chain. What was he missing?

As if sensing his thoughts stray, Kate called his attention. "Chakotay? What is it?"

He shook his head and carefully considered his reply. "It doesn't make sense. I mean I've never known that side of Kathryn. I don't doubt what you are saying whatsoever, but why would she form a close relationship with you, one that you've likely cherished and wanted your entire life and then a few years later, she all but flips out and does a complete 180? Something doesn't add up. Kathryn is a very complex person, but I've never known her to turn on anyone quite like this. Actually, she is usually fairly loyal. She is fiercely protective over those she loves, but why would she shut you down and then albeit punish you by sending you on the ship you hate the most? It makes no sense. Something's wrong somewhere…" he trailed off.

Kate got up from her position and walked over towards the shelf where she had seen the picture of Kathryn and Chakotay earlier. She slowly picked the photograph up, it was one she had never seen before. She stared at it slowly while Chakotay walked and stood directly behind her. He couldn't help but study Kate and watch as a small smile crept upon her face. He wondered what was going through her mind as she carefully analyzed the details of one of his all-time favorite photos. Running her hand over the glass, she muttered, almost to herself more so than directly to Chakotay, "What happened to her? This is the real Kathryn. This is my real Mom. She's so happy, you can see it in her smile and in her eyes. You make her happy, Chakotay."

The last statement, she had said it before she had realized it and when she turned, she failed to realize how close he was standing to her. Before him, he saw a deeply scarred yet fiercely strong young woman, who ultimately only wanted to be loved. Still holding on to the picture, he could see the tears slowly forming in her eyes, and he almost felt as if he knew exactly what she was going to say. Going where angels fear to tread, he pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her. That mere movement caused her walls to completely collapse and she wrapped both arms around him tightly, sobbing in to his shoulder.

"Sshhhh…I don't know what's happened to Kathryn because I don't think she would ever willingly do anything to harm anyone, in particular you. Something has obviously happened to her or else she's got some old dark wounds that are creeping back to the surface. But I don't think for one minute that she doesn't love you," he said while rubbing her back trying to calm her down. Pulling her back from him, he held her face in the palms of his hands and looked deep in to her eyes, as if searching for something. Ever so gently he reached down and grasped the star charm on her necklace with his left hand. "I was the one who gave this necklace to your mother on her birthday, and I'm about 99% sure that I am more than likely your father, as well."

The smile that spread across Kate's face did indeed mirror his own. Those small dimples outlined the massive smile that practically lit up the room. He couldn't help but replicate her smile with one his own. She giggled a little and patted his chest.

"I kind of assumed that, but I didn't want to suggest anything. But obviously, neither of us will know that answer for 100% certainty until the hard-headed Admiral decides to let down her façade and tell us the truth, but I didn't assume there were that many Native Americans onboard  _Voyager_  back in those days."

Taking her hand in his own, he led her back to the sofa, where this time he sat directly beside of her and draped an arm around her shoulders.

"So, when was the last time you saw her?"

She laughed, "That night."

Astonished, he shook his head in confusion.

"Wait! What? The last time you saw her was the night you sent the PADD careening after her?"

"That's correct."

"Oh, spirits, no wonder you said what you said earlier in sickbay. You mean you haven't seen or even talked with her in almost two years?"

Kate reached for her wine glass and cut him a sideways glance that made him wonder what was about to happen at K-7.

"The answer to that is tricky – yes and no. I have not seen her, at least that she's aware that I've seen her, in two years. As far as talking with her, that's a little more complicated."

A look of concern showed on his face. "Explain," was all he said.

_Shortly after I joined the Excalibur crew, which as I've said prior was rough from the get-go, but fortunately the crew helped ease my burden. I received a message from the Vice Admiral. It was short and to the point. All-business basically wishing me well in my new post. Needless to say, it went unanswered because I was not in a frame of mind to reply. Over the course of the next few months, I would get a message from her every other week. Initially continuing to wish me well and all the Starfleet non-sense, again all went unanswered. Then the messages sort of took a turn. It was almost as if my unresponsiveness may have been finally getting to her. She started inquiring as to how I was doing, any changes in my life, etc., almost as if she was trying to be more maternal. Over the course of my years in Starfleet, I've often undergone counseling sessions because of my past and trying to cope with all of that. Deanna Troi-Riker has proven a valuable asset to me. She's not only my counselor but she's my confidante and friend. I had relayed all of this to her, and she continued to guide me and encourage me that as hard as it would be, to try to not respond to the message. So as hard as it was for me, I still refused to answer them._

_The only person I confided all of this in, besides Deanna, was my fiancé, which was equally hard since he and I rarely saw each other. At one point, while Excalibur was docked at DS9 for a few days, I showed him all the messages. He was at a loss because he didn't know whether I should continue to ignore her or respond. He had informed me that the week prior to our arrival at DS9, she had come out there for an inspection and meeting with some senior officers. I breathed a sigh of relief at having just missed her. She and Michael had met a few times, and he always liked her and she him. He said that while she was onboard DS9 that she paid him a visit one evening. He said initially she told him that she wasn't feeling good and used that as her excuse for needing to come to medical, but he ultimately knew that wasn't the truth. To please her, he did check her over and pronounced her in good health. Of course, she quizzed him on whether he had heard from me, which fortunately he had not at that time, so he didn't lie to her. When I arrived at DS9, he told me he wished he had taken a picture of her because he said I would likely be shocked at how much she had changed. He said gone was the very thin, petite Admiral Janeway with the bun of steel or bob hairstyle. He said she had gained some weight and although while she wasn't overweight, it was definitely noticeable. But he said what shocked him and most everyone else on DS9 was the dramatic change to her hair. He said it was cut very short, yet stylish but it was dyed a very deep burgundy. He said he couldn't hide his look of shock when she walked in to medical._

_Needless to say, I was flabbergasted. I have never known her to change anything about her. She was beautiful, so why she changed her style is beyond me. No one seemed to know. When I got back to my quarters that evening, I looked up her bio on Starfleet Command to see if there were any updated photographs or links to any sort of conference she may have spoken at that contained video or photos, yet I couldn't find any. It was almost as if she did it on purpose to get Michael's attention so he would tell me of this sudden change. I swear, Chakotay, it's like she's going through some sort of mid-life crisis. So bizarre._

_But anyways, in mid-November, she sent another message to me inquiring about my holiday plans. I just shook my head reading the e-mail at the sheer audacity that she had to ask what I was doing for the holidays when she had treated me in such a manner. I had somewhat adjusted and settled in to my role on the Excalibur and I certainly didn't want or need her ruffling my feathers. Michael and I had already previously discussed spending Christmas together, so there was no way I was going to circumvent my time with him and his family for her. Excalibur arrived back to Earth and I met up with Michael outside of Starfleet Command, where we took a shuttle to Ireland, which is where he is from. We had an absolutely lovely Christmas and neither of us really wanted to leave the beautiful Irish land to return. We came back to the United States a day early and made a brief stop in Cherokee to visit my family and introduce Michael to those that raised me. They welcomed him with open arms._

_We eventually made our way back to Starfleet where we had a few hours remaining before I had to re-board Excalibur and he take a craft back to DS9. A wave of curiosity came over me. Call me crazy, I don't know, but I had to see her but not actually confront her or talk to her – just see her from afar. I wanted to see if she truly had burgundy hair, and maybe part of me really wanted to make sure she was physically okay. Michael could tell that something was on my mind, and when I told him, he couldn't help but smirk. How we would pull it off without her knowing, we hadn't figured, actually we hadn't figured much of anything aside from the fact that I was curious over seeing her._

_Eventually, I ran in to Boothby's great nephew, who was now doing a lot of the work that Boothby had done in the past. I inquired with him over whether he had seen the Vice Admiral lately and his eyes blared. I took that to mean he had and it was a change. I didn't shed a lot of light on the situation, but I told him that she and I were slightly at odds but I wanted to see her from a far to see the change. A sneaky smile crept across his face and I knew he was game for a little adventure. He told Michael and I where to go hide, while he was going to run a series of alarms and alerts throughout the Command compound testing the systems._

_We assumed our hiding place which was in close proximity to her office but at enough distance that it'd be hard pressed for her to know we were there. Five to ten minutes later the loud blaring alarms went off, which sent people scattering out of the building, as they had not been previously notified of the test. One of the last ones out of the building was the Vice Admiral, and to I say gasped was an understatement. I think I had an audible "holy crap!" to be more precise. I swear, Chakotay, she has changed and it was not what I was prepared for. She wasn't as large as Michael had made it out to be, but her hairstyle was so out of character for her, I didn't know what to think. The craziest thing of it all, as she exited the building, it's almost as if she knew this was a test or knew it was some sort of prank. I watched as she gazed the perimeter almost as if she was searching for someone. Michael grabbed me by the arm making sure I stayed low to the ground and whispered in my ear that he thought she knew I was there. It was eerie. Eventually, she returned inside and we separated ways._

_Once back onboard Excalibur, and after exchanging greetings with the crew, we slowly departed Earth on our next mission. While in my quarters that evening, I had another message from her. She said she was just checking in and hoped I had a good holiday and all this and that. The end of the message made it seem as if she were coming back around because she made a comment about how that year had been rather rocky and she had a lot to make up for and one day she hoped that the two of us could patch things up. She wished me a Happy New Year and upcoming Valentine's. Told me she had seen Michael and that she knew he loved me and would be a good spouse to me. She told me to treasure those you love and don't let go of something you truly love because you may not ever be able to recover from the loss. At the very end, she said that no matter what happened, she would always love me, and she signed it "Mom"._

_By the end of that message, I was practically in tears because I felt like a pile of doo-doo for not spending any time with her over the holidays nor having contacted her at all. But even then, I couldn't reply to her. Call me, Kathryn Jr., I suppose because I'm just as stubborn, if not more so than her. I re-read that message quite a few times and it made me wonder if she was going through some type of depression because of all she went through with me and possibly trying to deal with her past._

_Over the next year, Excalibur encountered a number of enemies and one of our own crewmen, Adley, was kidnapped. Calhoun met with me in his Ready Room and explained the mission that I, and I only would be undertaking. I'll admit part of me wondered if Mom was somehow involved in this, but ultimately, I felt that Kathryn would've come out over the Vice Admiral in this instance. I felt that she would realize the utmost danger and not willingly send her daughter off in to some unforeseen doom. On the night before this mission was to take place, after reviewing all of my plans, procedures and stock-piling the Sequoia to the hilt, I sat down at my workstation inside my quarters and re-read the last couple of messages that I had received from the Vice Admiral. In that instance, I realized the risk that I was about to undertake. I sent off a message to Deanna and Michael telling them what was about to happen and telling Michael that I loved him no matter what may happen. I also told the both of them that I was going to send Mom a message._

_I sat there probably for 30 minutes trying to figure how to even start a message to her as it had been well over a year, going on two years, at that point since I had said anything to her. But ultimately, I started typing. I opened my message by expressing to her what I was getting ready to do with the upcoming mission and the risks that were involved. I admitted to her in my message that part of me was a little apprehensive but I knew how to rely on my inner strength and not allow myself to get too caught up in the possibilities that may not even transpire. Ultimately I apologized for what I had said to her in person the last time I spoke to her. I told her that while I was still not pleased with the decision that was made, I had tried to accept it and move on. I still did not understand why she did what she did and I hoped that one day she could honestly explain it all to me._

_I told her that I was tired of the double persona of Kathryn versus the Vice Admiral and that I hoped one day, we could rectify and amend the past, but until she decided which one she wanted to truly be, I couldn't have both of them in my life. I finished the message by saying that I didn't know what may transpire on this mission – whether I would live or die, but I asked her to please make a promise to me. I asked her that should something happen to me while on this mission, I wanted her to dig deep and really listen to her heart and soul and let it guide her. She needed to open up and confront who she really wanted to be in life. If she still loved the man who ultimately possessed her heart, she needed to reach out to him and amend those fences. I also told her that should I survive this mission, that I would promise to try to reunite with her at some point, but I ultimately wanted her to be the real her and I wanted to know everything about my life. I wanted everything out on the table. But overall, I wanted her to know that no matter how many nights I cried myself to sleep, no matter how many nights I ached and hurt, I still loved her and would always love her._

Chakotay tightened his grip on her shoulder. "Do you know if she ever received the message?"

She shook her head no while taking a final sip from her glass. "No, I don't know because the  _Sequoia_  didn't have access to my personal records, and if they sent my personal possessions to K-7, then it would likely be in storage. I am assuming she did receive it, but whether she replied, is another thing. But then again, I presume her reply is showing herself up at K-7 or else she never got the message but heard about my mission and is coming to chew me out. I feel like my stomach is in my throat worrying over what may transpire when we get there."

Chakotay pulled her to him and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I know you're nervous, but whatever happens, do not let her intimidate you. You are beyond strong and beyond wise. You are very courageous and you deserve to captain your own ship one of these days. Did you ever think that maybe her refusal of your First Officer position on this ship would be that because maybe one day she wants you to be the Captain of it?"

She froze. It was one thing she had never thought of, and he knew by her not responding that she hadn't pondered that.

"I'm not saying that's the case. Quite honestly, I don't believe it is because I was her First Officer and she shockingly appointed me to be the Captain. That being said, I think you were on to something earlier. She likely wanted to keep you away from me. Maybe she feared the hurt that I inflicted upon her, maybe she feared that I would do the same to you. I never intentionally meant to hurt her. Matter of fact, what she perceived as a relationship with another woman, was not even the case. When I went to her to try to explain, much like you, she slammed the door on me and threw something at me, which was not her character. I knew she was hurt and it was the Captain who was raging within pushing Kathryn to the backburner. She has always struggled separating the two. The time we spent on New Earth, when she dropped the Captain persona, she was the happiest I have ever witnessed in my entire life. But as soon as we re-boarded this ship, that Captain mask came back, and you are spot on right when you said it can be a scary thing at times. I could break her, but that night on her birthday, was magical. Kathryn was back, but the weeks and days following, were unbearable."

Kate sat up and crossed her legs Indian style on the sofa. "Please, explain it to me. I want to know what happened."

"The birthday night?" he asked almost in astonishment.

She laughed, "Heavens no! I don't need to know  _THOSE_ details. I want to know what she saw or what made her think she was some sort of adulteress or whatever she thinks of herself."

"Ah okay, good, I wasn't quite ready to share  _those_ details with you," he added with a wink. "Seven of Nine, did she ever mention anything to you about her?"

"Briefly, I know she was a Borg drone that  _Voyager_  rescued and helped her to re-acclimate herself to the human side."

He nodded, "That's pretty much spot on. But as Seven was trying to regain some of her more human qualities, she struggled with the social aspect, including relationships. The Doctor had been mentoring and tutoring her in many aspects, but with him being a hologram, he couldn't necessarily help her with the dating and such. Somehow, I got roped in on that assignment. A few nights after Kathryn's birthday, I had staged a 'date' for Seven and me to go on in the mess hall. Kathryn happened to see me 'picking up' Seven from her quarters and assumed the worst. Over the course of the next few days, Seven continued to learn more lessons and apparently she created a hologram in my likeness on the holodeck to continue her dating escapades. Somehow Kathryn found out about it and assumed that Seven and I were sleeping together and forming a relationship.

"I can see why she was hurt and stung because not only had we had a very romantic evening for her birthday, where I gave her that necklace, but I also gave her a very personal note written in a card basically letting her know that I was willing to wait for her as long as it took. So, when she saw Seven and me together, rather than confronting me about the situation, let alone allowing me to explain to her, she holed herself up and in some ways went off the deep end. I should not have allowed myself to take part in Seven's lessons because ultimately it hurt Kathryn and in many ways, our relationship has suffered. The times we communicate and talk now, it is never anything personal as it used to be, but rather it is always strictly business. I've seen a change in her and I blame a lot of that on myself."

Settling back against the backrest of the sofa, Kate took his hand and shook her head. "No, it's not your fault. While you may should have plotted your courtship a little differently, she should have allowed you to explain things to her without jumping to conclusions. Or better yet, she could have even asked the Doctor or maybe even someone else. But alas, it must be a Janeway thing because I likely would have done the same exact thing because we don't want to humble ourselves quite enough to go and ask someone else something we can't figure out on our own. Maybe one day, she will come around and have some sort of clarity and explain it all. But can you imagine when Starfleet Command told her that one, I was missing and two, that  _Voyager_ , of all ships, had rescued me?"

They both couldn't help but chuckle at the thought. "Karma, right?" Chakotay added.

"Something like that," Kate added while staring deep in to his eyes.

He touched her cheek briefly and took her by the hands. "I can't make any promises, but if by some miracle, I can approach Starfleet Command, I'd be more than happy to put in a formal request to have you serve as my First Officer, at least on an interim basis, if they won't allow for a permanent basis. But even if that falls through, I can make one promise to you. When we encounter the Vice Admiral, I've got your back. I'll do what I can to protect you and keep her from inflicting too much more damage."

Tears slowly crept into her eyes. "You'd really do that for me?"

"Well, the more I think about it and the more I think about reality, I'd place a good bet that I'm your father, as we discussed earlier. It'll be like pulling teeth to get it out of her, but even in times when I've seen her in her full-blown Captain mode, I've been able to channel Kathryn's spirit out, and I'll do everything in my power to talk to her, if she won't have a civilized conversation with you. But, I think and am hoping we may both be in for a surprise."

She faintly smiled. "I hope you're right, Chakotay, but to be honest with you, I just don't know what to expect anymore. But anyways, I appreciate you letting me talk tonight. It has helped in more ways than you'll ever know. I know Mom trusts you more than anyone, and I'm not trying to talk bad about her but knew that you can help me understand her in some ways that maybe I can't. And not to mention, I haven't had this much conversation with someone in a long time."

She slowly stood from the sofa and he mimicked her. She gave him a hug and placed a light kiss on his cheek. He smiled down at her relishing in the fact of how much she did indeed mirror Kathryn. As they slowly moved towards the door, he stopped her.

"I tell you what, if you're feeling up to it, tomorrow, I'll take you around and introduce you to the crew and give you a tour of the ship. Maybe that'll help keep your mind distracted over worrying and stressing upon our arrival at K-7. If you're nice, I may even let you sit in the First Officer seat on the bridge."

She playfully gasped, "Ahhh, the infamous Chakotay's chair? That might get me a death glare from the Vice Admiral."

He couldn't help but chuckle at her playful side. "Well, what she doesn't know won't hurt her, right? And I'm serious about what I said earlier, if there's a way I can get you in the First Officer chair, even on an interim basis, I will do that."

"I'd really appreciate that. I fully intend on resigning from the  _Excalibur_. I'll likely return to my quarters and submit my resignation to Admiral Jameson later tonight. There's no way I can return to that ship, even if I have to take a demotion and serve somewhere else. I'm not asking for any special treatment, but  _Voyager_  would be an honor. But there could be an issue," she paused looking up at him.

"I'm not letting her stop me from having you as my First Officer. I'll handle Kathryn," he added with a hint in his tone that made Kate realize that she was sure he could handle her in more than one way.

She smirked and cocked an eyebrow, "I'm sure you can," she added sarcastically, "but that's not what I mean. If it turns out that I truly am your daughter, Starfleet will not allow me to serve under your command."

He nodded his head. "You're right, but Starfleet doesn't officially know the truth, and until the Admiral confesses, then by all intents and purposes, neither do we know the official truth. Anyways that's why I'll put in the temporary request, and then we'll let the cards play out for themselves when we return to Starfleet Command. Sound good?"

"You just made me an offer that I cannot refuse, but God help us when she finds out."

He put his arm around her shoulders as she stood at the edge of the door. "Leave that to me."

Kate slowly made her way back down the corridor towards the turbolift which she took one flight up and retreated to her quarters. She couldn't believe all that had just transpired, but it ultimately had felt good to open up to someone and confide in them. After tidying up some things in her quarters and working on some notifications to Michael and Starfleet Command, she followed with a short Cherokee meditation before she lay down and drifted off in to a peaceful sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**Location:** _**USS Voyager** _

After Kate had left his quarters for the evening, Chakotay was beyond worked up. He had tried to remain as calm and resolute for her as he could in the midst of presuming her to be his daughter, but he wouldn't know that for certain until confronting Kathryn. But the sheer thought of how she could even remotely do this to him started to make his blood boil. After all they had been through together, especially when it came to Seska trying to claim she had fathered a child with him, he knew Kathryn knew he wanted desperately to have a family and yet she took that opportunity away from him.

Walking over to the shelf that held the picture of him and Kathryn that Kate had studied earlier, he picked the photo up in his hands and stared at it for a while. Part of him wanted to hurl the picture across the room, but another part knew he had to hear Kathryn out and listen to her. Nonetheless, he was thrilled about the prospect of getting to know Kate, and should some crazy thing happen that she wasn't his daughter, he still wanted to be there to support her because he felt a close connection with her.

He showered and lay down in bed but continued to toss and turn as sleep was apparently not possible. Eventually, he stood up from his bed.

"Screw this," he said to himself and stormed out of his quarters and went to the holodeck.

"Computer, run Chakotay program three," he stated and watched as the holodeck transformed into one of his more complicated boxing and fighting rings. He might have been older and not in as great of shape as he used to be, but he still enjoyed boxing and it helped him get so many of his frustrations out.

The more he punched and swung at his opponent, the more he thought of Kathryn withholding this secret from him. He knew she had been hurt by her reactions to him and Seven, but she never let him explain it. But it gave her no right to withhold precious news about a child from him, especially if that child could potentially be his or even if it wasn't his, she still could have told him so he could have been there for her as a friend. How was she able to stand in front of him at so many dinners and banquets over the following years and never say a word?

He paused and let that sink in for a brief second, momentarily forgetting his opponent as he landed a punch to Chakotay's face. Shaking his head, he barked, "Computer, freeze program."

He stood there and realized that he had been blind to her the entire time. Any banquet or event or anything that Starfleet had had when  _Voyager_  was back home, Kathryn either wasn't in attendance or she would be miles away from him in the room. She had been avoiding him and he had totally been oblivious to it. Sure they spoke and messaged each other over the years, but standing there thinking about it, it hit him like a ton of bricks.

"She was distancing herself from me, not because of Seven but because of Kate," he said aloud to the empty holodeck. "She couldn't face me and didn't want to see me because of her fear of me finding out the truth. Damn it, Kathryn!" he added and punched the air before being overcome with tears.

He was angry yet joyful at the same time. He was angry over never knowing, yet part of him was joyful because he now had something he always wanted and she was beyond beautiful. She was more than he could ever dream possible. The hardest part would come in facing Kathryn because he knew she would avoid him and this situation like the plague or else she was going to be beyond infuriated and blow him and Kate to hell because of it. Either way, he strolled back out of the holodeck and back to his quarters where he finally drifted off for a couple hours of restless sleep.

The next morning, Chakotay met Kate outside of her quarters and suggested that they go to the mess hall for breakfast, where he knew she would likely encounter most of the crew at once and not have to endure individual greetings each time. Upon approaching the mess, she asked, "Is Mr. Neelix still manning the kitchen?"

He couldn't help but suppress a smile as it was apparent that the former ship's captain had told her daughter a lot about her crew. "Neelix actually left  _Voyager_  prior to our return to the Alpha Quadrant, as he wanted to stay behind in the Delta Quadrant and become the official Ambassador for the Federation. Recently thanks in part to the many advances in relays and transportation between the quadrants, he was able to come visit Starfleet and the Alpha Quadrant, so he is indeed currently on board for a while until he returns to his home. I imagine he is going to be excited to see you."

The doors to the mess slid open and Kate couldn't help but notice all the eyes that immediately landed upon her and Chakotay. She smiled politely and nodded at all of them. The curious stares weren't so much wondering who she was as much as they were in sheer shock. Kate's  _Excalibur_  uniform had been damaged, so they had lent her a  _Voyager_  uniform to wear. When she strode casually in to the mess hall, the former crew thought they were seeing an apparition because they thought their former captain had returned to the ship in a younger form. Unlike her mother, she didn't wear her hair in a bun of steel nor in a shorter bob. She typically wore her hair down, but occasionally she did pull it up or to the side.

Neelix, who had been walking to a crew member's table, stopped mid-stride when he noticed them walk in the door, rushed over to immediately greet them.

"Commander Janeway, it is an absolute pleasure to meet you. May I say, you look exactly like your mother," he added while shaking her hand vigorously.

Kate smiled politely, although the constant reminder of her looking like her mother did get on her last nerves. "Thank you. It is a pleasure to meet you, as well, Mr. Neelix. Could I get some…"

He cut her off, "Coffee, black, right?"

Kate and Chakotay both couldn't help but laugh. She held up her hand. "You know, Mr. Neelix, while I may look like her, I am nothing like my mother. I may be the only person on this starship, but I don't even like coffee."

Neelix couldn't help but smile. "Well, it's good to see that some things do remain different. What is your drink of preference?"

"Your generosity is humbling, but I don't require anything special. Orange juice is just fine."

Mr. Neelix escorted them to a table before he dashed off to prepare their breakfast. After he had left, the rest of the crew practically rushed over to join Chakotay and Kate. Chakotay watched her with great detail as she never flinched or hesitated when they all surrounded. He was actually quite amazed at how she took it all in stride and adapted as if she'd been part of their crew since day one. She blended in and picked up immediately joking around with Tom, Harry, B'Elanna and even Tuvok. He could immediately tell that while she was a lot like Kathryn, there was a charm about her that everyone loved.

"Hey Chakotay," Tom started, "You know, why don't we turn the tables on  _Voyager_?"

Chakotay raised his eyebrows. "This doesn't sound promising."

"Well, I mean, you served as the First Officer under then Captain Janeway, so why not turn the tables and let Commander Janeway serve as your First Officer?"

Kate nearly spat out her orange juice that she had just taken a sip of. B'Elanna couldn't help but laugh, as well. Kate shook her head and glanced at Chakotay almost silently communicating with him the thought, if they only knew.

Chakotay shook his head and answered, "Well, leave it to Tom to always come up with a solution, but it may not be a bad idea, Mr. Paris."

"You think  _Voyager_  is ready for another Janeway?" Kate quizzed.

About that time, Mr. Neelix had reappeared and answered for them all. "Commander, we all adored your mother. She was more than a captain to us. She was a friend, a mentor and to some, she was like their other mother. If you are anything like her, which it seems you are and in some ways even better, I think you'd fit right in on this ship and we'd be honored to have you become a part of this crew."

She smiled the smile that showed off her dimples and all her teeth. B'Elanna nudged Harry when she saw it hoping he'd pick up on the clue, a nudge that didn't slip past Chakotay's eyes.

"Mr. Neelix, I do appreciate those kind words. My Mother, as you all know, is quite unique to put it bluntly. I'll warn you all in advance that our relationship may not be as close as you expect, and if you haven't seen her lately, from what I've gathered, we may all be in for a surprise. But, I can tell you all this, the times that she and I used to spend together, she spoke very fondly of each and every one of you. You all have a very special place in her heart. Yes, even you, Mr. Paris. While it'd be an honor to serve aboard  _Voyager_ , that is obviously out of my control. But I do owe each of you a debt of gratitude for being willing to come to my rescue. I enjoy getting to know all of you a little better over the next few days."

They continued to enjoy breakfast together swapping "war stories" and various memories. Eventually, the crew left and reported to their stations to begin their day. Kate spent a little more time chatting with Neelix before Chakotay escorted her to sickbay where The Doctor wanted to double check her injuries and wounds once more. After receiving a clean bill of health minus the wound and scar that the Doctor wanted to heal naturally a little further before he worked his magic to erase it, Chakotay took her on a tour of Astrometrics, Engineering and finally to the Bridge. Stepping off the lift, even though she had never before been aboard  _Voyager_ , she felt the presence of her mother strongly. Sensing her hesitation, Chakotay whispered, "Don't worry, you don't have to sit in the Captain's chair, yet…"

She rolled her eyes and shook her head as she followed him around the bridge as he pointed out the layout and design. While she continued to stroll around the bridge, Chakotay excused himself to his ready room, where he needed to check his messages. Kate immediately knew this was the ship that was meant for her. The design and layout was exactly how she had always envisioned it to be. It was a ship she had built in her dreams since she had no real schematics for what  _Voyager_  truly looked like. It had obtained some renovations over the years, but the overall beauty of this ship remained intact. Strolling around on the bridge, she couldn't help but stand just above Lt. Commander Paris and peer out the view screen as K-7 was, what looked like within inches from  _Voyager_. Chakotay returned to the bridge and caught her watching the K-7. After staring for a bit longer, she returned to stand beside of Chakotay, ironically just in front of the First Officer's seat, which she couldn't help but glance back at. Those two chairs – the Captain's and First Officer's held so many memories and she could feel the presence all the more. Chakotay ordered Paris to dock with K-7 and initiated the docking protocols.

Chakotay had taken a seat as Paris carefully guided  _Voyager_  in to its docking slot. He motioned for Kate to have a seat, but she shook her head. Her gut instinct said it was a bad idea because the atmospheric presence had changed and she could feel it. Sensing something amiss, Chakotay stood beside her as close as he could get and whispered, "What's the matter?"

Continuing to stare straight ahead, she replied, "I can feel her. She's here."

Chakotay didn't understand it. He couldn't figure how Kate could sense her mother quite like that, but he didn't doubt it, much less question it. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. She showed no visible sign of fear or apprehension. She looked stoic and fearsome, as if she were ready to take on the universe. He suspected if she could single-handedly fight off the Borg, then she could very well likely deal with Kathryn Janeway. But behind that mask, Chakotay knew there was a scared little girl which was likely afraid of which Janeway she was about to encounter.

Lt. Commander Paris turned in his seat and was about to address his Captain when his mouth dropped open and he froze in place. None of them had heard the doors to the turbolift and no one had been alerted to the fact that the Vice Admiral had just stepped on to the bridge, ultimately her bridge. Commander Kate Janeway saw Paris' reaction and she knew immediately what was about to transpire. She refused to turn and acknowledge the Vice Admiral in any way, as she knew she would eventually make her way down on to the Captain's platform. Out of the corner of her eye, Kate could see Chakotay was watching her carefully, he glanced briefly back toward where the Admiral was extending greetings to Tuvok and Harry Kim. Kate noticed as his eyes widened slightly, and Kate assumed he had seen the new Vice Admiral Janeway's appearance. Coming down on to the mid-level bridge, the Vice Admiral went over and shook Lt. Commander Paris' hand and exchanged a brief greeting and inquired about his wife and daughter before she turned on her heels and stopped to stare back at Kate and Chakotay.


	6. Chapter 6

Kate felt as if she had not breathed in an hour. The tension in the room was palpable. She hadn't physically seen her mother in almost two years. Part of her wanted to run and hug her for dear life and the other part wanted to run far away out of fear of a verbal assault. She dug in deep standing practically shoulder to shoulder with Chakotay, which she knew was likely driving the Admiral insane. She couldn't help but stare at her Mother. She had aged in two years, but not excessively. She had definitely gained some weight, but that wasn't bad because she needed to be filled out as she had gotten very tiny. But the hair.  _THE HAIR!_  What on earth had she done to her beautiful long locks? The hair was shorter – it wasn't excessively short, but it was at least to the base of her neck and it was flipped out and styled, albeit very fashionably, but it was highly uncharacteristic for a Starfleet Vice Admiral. And then there was the color – it was much, much darker than typical and Kate could see it definitely had a burgundy hue. She wanted to blurt out "what the heck did you do to your hair?" but in some weird way, it actually looked relatively good on her. She watched as ever so slowly, Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway made her way towards Chakotay and stood mere centimeters apart from him.

Kate watched out of the corner of her eye the stare down those two were sharing, and for one brief moment, she saw something flash in her mother's eyes. A flash that she had seen somewhere before, and then it dawned on her, it was the same look in her eyes that was in the picture in Chakotay's quarters. Her Mother was in love with this man whether she would ever dare to admit it or not, and the internal war between Kathryn and the Admiral was going to be her demise if she wasn't careful.

"Chakotay," she heard the Vice Admiral acknowledge in that voice that one could hear from miles away and immediately recognize as Kathryn Janeway's. It was a voice unlike any other. The way she had said his name, not his title, and the way his name had rolled off her tongue sent chills down Kate's spine.

He nodded his head in acknowledgment before replying, "It's good to see you, Admiral. Welcome back home to  _Voyager_."

The inflection in his voice when he said  _Voyager_  caused Kate to fight to keep a smirk from spreading across her face. It was almost as if he was sending an underlying message that he knew about the block from allowing Kate to become his First Officer. But maybe she was just reading in to things, but she would swear that he was sending out a signal loud and clear almost as if he were challenging the Admiral in her own former home.

"It's good to be back, Captain. I see they've renovated some things, but there are a lot of memories here within these masses of bulkheads," she added while a slight smirk crept across her face – a smirk that then transitioned into a full-on smile.

Kate was taken aback – her mother was underhandedly flirting with Captain Chakotay before her very own eyes. She slightly rolled her eyes and pondered to herself whether this was all part of a game and whether the Admiral was scheming both Chakotay and herself.  _Memories_ , Kate thought to herself,  _could she be alluding to the memories of when I was conceived?_

Rattling out of her brief daydream, she heard Chakotay's reply, "Memories last a lifetime, Admiral, and some things and some people you just can never forget."

If there was a hole in the floor, Kate would have loved to have fallen through it. This was getting a bit ridiculous and she wanted to tell the both of them to just get a room, get it on and finally for once and for all get together! She could see now why everyone always speculated about a possible romance between the two. It was rumors that she had heard even in Starfleet Academy. Now witnessing their interactions first hand and knowing that this behavior went on for seven years, she realized why everyone said they just needed to open their eyes, drop protocol and get together, because their connection was deep.

Chakotay and Kathryn held a gaze for a brief second before she took the mere one or two side-step shuffle and stood directly in front of Kate. Kate could feel Chakotay's stare from the side and she knew he was wondering what was about to go down on his bridge. Kate refused to be the first to speak. If it was going to be a stand-off, she would not be the one to break the silence first.

The next move nearly caused the brave Commander Kate Janeway to jump out of place, as the Vice Admiral did something she so rarely ever did. She reached her hand out and gently touched the scar that lined the Commander's left cheekbone. A scar that she had received during the initial impact of the Borg attacking the  _Sequoia_. The Doctor hadn't used the devices to have the wound disappear as he was waiting for it to heal before he eventually worked his magic and forced the scar to vanish. Kate had momentarily forgotten about the wound. It was her battle scar to some strange degree and she didn't care if the scar was left permanently on her face. It served as a reminder of her toughness, resilience and her willingness to stare death right in the eye. She was not afraid of the Borg and not afraid of anyone. But when the Vice Admiral reached out to touch the wound, Kate couldn't help but flinch.

It was a brief moment, very brief, but it was a maternal moment and not a Vice Admiral moment. She didn't say anything but the look the Vice Admiral gave Kate as they held each other's stare conveyed a lot. In that moment, Kate knew that the Vice Admiral had indeed received the message she sent her, and more than likely the past two years had impacted her. How she knew this, she didn't know, but she had a great ability to sense, yet she was not going to allow her own self to cave easily either. With the Vice Admiral reaching out to her, it made Kate realize that her message to her shortly before her mission was what caused the Admiral to come – she was coming as a mother to check on her daughter and in that brief moment on the bridge of  _Voyager_ , Kate witnessed Kathryn as who she truly was to her, Mom first. But, sadly, Kate didn't expect that to last very long.

"Commander Janeway," she stated.

"Yes, ma'am," replied Kate with so much strength and courage that showed nothing would rattle her.

"It's good to see you upright and moving after such a wild ride you've had over the past week or so."

Kate stared at her for a second trying to gauge where she was going with such statements.

"Thank you, ma'am. I'm ever so grateful that the crew of  _Voyager_  willingly came to rescue me, which is much more than I can say for the crew of the  _Excalibur_."

Chakotay's eyes slightly widened as he carefully watched Kathryn's reaction because Kate's tone, while relatively calm, was still laced with a small trace of hostility when she stated the name of her former ship. He watched as Kathryn absorbed what was said and he prayed she wouldn't overreact.

Vice Admiral Janeway faintly smiled before adding, "Well, Commander, I would appreciate a full briefing as to the entire event, so I can relay to Starfleet what actions will need to be taken next?"

Kate raised an eyebrow and locked eyes with the Vice Admiral and took one step closer to her. "Ma'am," she said calmly but authoritatively, "I'll be happy to debrief you on the events that transpired on my away mission and subsequent encounter with the Borg and rescue. However, you won't need to take any action against the  _Excalibur_  because as of late last night, I resigned my commission as First Officer of the  _Excalibur_ , even though they apparently had already presumed me dead since they dropped my personal possessions off here at K-7."

Chakotay hadn't expected Kate to drop that bombshell so suddenly, and she had said it loud enough that Paris, Kim and Tuvok had all likely heard it, but all continued their tasks at hand trying as hard as they could to ignore what was transpiring in between them. As hard as she might, the Vice Admiral couldn't help but hide the look of astonishment that crept across her face. The Vice Admiral briefly looked over to Chakotay, who fortunately for Kate, had a surprised look on his face that helped to throw the Vice Admiral off the scent just briefly.

"Well, that news comes as quite a bit of a surprise, Commander. What exactly do you intend to do next?"

Kate knew that line of questioning was coming and she had well prepared for it.

"Funny you should ask, Admiral. After I collect my personal possessions from the K-7, I will ask  _Voyager_  to take me back to Earth, where I intend to meet with Starfleet Command and put in a new request for a First Officer position on another vessel. If there are none available, and if I have to take a demotion, I will, or it may be time I seek other opportunities outside of Starfleet. The last year has been quite harrowing and daunting. Plus, at some point, I'd like to get married," she added with a slight lilt in her voice to ease the escalating tension.

Chakotay wanted to pipe up and tell them both the news he had just learned, but he felt now was not the appropriate time, plus he needed to have a conference with Admiral Jameson to sure up some last minute changes. He decided that now may be a good time to interrupt the two Kathryn's.

"If the two of you would like to conduct the debriefing, anywhere on  _Voyager_ is available. Since both of your quarters are still being set-up, or in your case Commander, your possessions are being brought over and stored, why don't the both of you utilize my quarters to talk about the incident with the  _Sequoia_ and the Borg, and reacquaint yourselves? Of course, the conference rooms are available, but I assumed you would want somewhere more private and comfortable to talk."

Both of them turned their heads simultaneously to look at him, and he was hit with a wave of emotions at the realization of what stood before him. He looked in Kate's eyes and could tell that she was slightly apprehensive about being left alone with the Vice Admiral.

"That will be just fine, Captain Chakotay," the Admiral added while motioning for Kate to lead the way.

Kate momentarily paused and locked eyes with Chakotay. He could tell she was apprehensive and while he couldn't say anything to her, for fear of blowing his cover with how much he already knew, he tried to send her a message through his eyes that she would be okay. But, to somewhat help her, just as Kate had gotten enough distance away from the two of them, Chakotay did something highly out of character for a Captain to do to a Vice Admiral.

"Kathryn," he called out, which caused her to abruptly halt in mid-stride across the bridge.

While Commander Janeway made her way to the turbolift, the Admiral turned slowly back towards Chakotay and raised her eyebrow. He stepped closer to her, very lightly grasped her mid-arm, leaned in towards her ear and in a bear whisper said to her, "Go easy on her, Kathryn," followed by an all but pleading, "Please."

For a brief second, Kathryn Janeway was paralyzed. She had never heard Chakotay sound so vulnerable in all her life. It touched her inner core and pulled at her heartstrings more than she cared to admit. She looked deep in his eyes and in that brief second, she was hit with a flashback from her birthday all those years ago which made her head spin. The look in his eyes conveyed a powerful message to her. She simply nodded her head before retreating to the turbolift. Once inside the lift, she glanced back out the doors and saw Chakotay staring at her. In that moment, reality hit her in full force. She backed up towards the rear of the turbolift wall and said to herself, "He knows…"

Kate didn't acknowledge what her mother had stated, as she more than likely knew what it was referring to, and she decided to let it hang out there unanswered. The rest of the way to Chakotay's quarters was spent in silence, but it wasn't nearly as tension filled as Kate had anticipated. Upon entering his quarters, Kate made a beeline for the replicator where she ordered her mother a coffee, black, of course and herself a tea. As the replicator was preparing the drinks, she glanced back and caught her mother holding the photograph of herself and Chakotay in her hands, in a very similar manner that Kate had done the evening prior.

With the steaming cup of coffee in her hand, she crept up behind her mother peering over her shoulder as she continued to stare at the picture. Kate knew she was having a major flashback, as it was evident upon her face.

"He makes you happy, very happy. That's the real you in that picture," Kate added while rattling Kathryn Janeway from her daydream. She handed her the coffee to which Kathryn smiled and nodded her head in appreciation.

"You're right, Kate. As hard as it is for me to admit, you're right about both things. He does make me happy, very happy and yes, that's the real me in that picture. That was a wonderful evening, oh so many years ago. One of Mr. Neelix's infamous parties. Matter of fact, if my memory serves me correctly, this was a luau of sorts."

Kate raised her eyebrows. "And Chakotay happened to be your date for the evening?"

She chuckled to herself. "Naturally, yes," she replied while returning the picture to its place on the shelf. Briefly, she scanned the quarters being reminded of how this used to be where she lived for seven years. It was also the very same room that her daughter was conceived in. The sheer thought made her freeze in place. She was back on  _Voyager_ , in her old quarters, now Chakotay's quarters and she was here with her daughter. The irony was overwhelming. She felt as if the walls were closing in on her, choking her.

"Mom?" Kate questioned. "Are you okay?"

She glanced up at Kate and said, "You called me Mom?"

Kate shook her head in confusion and slightly chuckled. "Umm, yes, the last time I recall, you did tell me you were my Mother. That hasn't changed has it?"

Kathryn couldn't help but smile and grab her daughter by the hand. "You know, sweetheart, after all that's happened in the past couple of years, I didn't know if I'd ever hear you call me that again. We've got a lot to discuss and I have a lot that I need to apologize for."

Kate smiled at her and said "We have plenty of time, plenty."

As she said that, she watched as her mother's facial expression slightly changed. Something had registered with her.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

They sat down on the sofa by the long bay window, and Kathryn replied, "Yes, maybe it's just being back on  _Voyager_  and being back in my old quarters, but I am being pounded with memories and what you just said to me was something your…" and she stopped.

She had almost slipped and said it, but had caught herself. Kathryn didn't think she would be this rattled being back onboard  _Voyager_ , but maybe with the reality of her daughter being on this ship with Chakotay, it was affecting her in ways that she was not quite prepared for. She had to steel herself and quickly.

But, Kate didn't miss it. "My what, Mom?"

She glanced at her daughter and smiled, "Sorry, being back in this room has just brought back so many memories. What I meant to say is that what you said about having plenty of time is something that Chakotay used to say to me off and on during our years in the Delta Quadrant."

Kate knew that while she was telling the truth, she had also dodged the question. While she wanted to press her on it, she decided not to start an all-out argument from the get-go. Instead, she changed the subject.

"Did you get the message I sent you?"

Setting her coffee mug down on the table, she glanced over at her daughter trying to gauge her reaction. Eyes that matched her own returned her stare as she carefully plotted her choice of words. Kathryn Janeway would have to admit to herself that the past two years were almost unbearable. Having reunited with her daughter years ago was one of the best feelings in the world, but to have that come to a screeching halt had made her do a lot of internal reflecting and made her realize she had crossed a line. She refused to ruin her daughter's life and dreams any further. She wanted what was best for her and it was high time she decided to act more like a mother than treat her as one of her subordinates, even though in some regards she was. She realized in the past two years it was time she made a change or else she was going to lose something she valued most of all in life – her child.

Facing Kate, Kathryn responded, "Yes, I did get your message, but it wasn't immediate. I had been away on a vision quest," she paused when she noticed the look of surprise on Kate's face. "Chakotay taught me how to find my spirit animal shortly after he came aboard  _Voyager_  and over the years, he showed me many of his Native American cultural traditions, so I am not as clueless about that as one might think. But anyways, I had been on a vision quest trying to do some soul searching. I had done you wrong two years ago. It was done out of pride, maybe even arrogance or even protection, but either way it was wrong and highly out of character for me. When you stormed out of Admiral Jameson's office that day, I quite literally thought you were about to kill me, and I'm sure the thought probably crossed your mind. I crossed a big, big line.

"After I sent you away on  _Excalibur_ , I went through a severe depression. I was surrounded by darkness and felt the weight of the world falling down upon me. I had only ever felt that way one other time and it was during my years on  _Voyager_  when we spent an extended length of time in 'the void'. I isolated myself from the crew and everyone. The only person I would talk to was Chakotay, and even that was on a limited basis. But he was the only one who could ultimately get through to me, but this time, I didn't have Chakotay or anyone else that I could rely on. This was a decision I had to make for myself alone.

"When you never responded to any of my messages, I knew I was getting just what I deserved, and after you didn't come home at Christmas, I knew I had to make a change or else I was going to fall far into a chasm and there would be no one there to save me. I went and visited with the Cherokee and talked with them immensely about the trials I was facing and how I could rectify such a wrong. I knew they knew you on a much deeper level than I did, even though we had grown very close. And they provided me with some much needed insight, not only on how to approach you, but ultimately how to seek redemption for myself and discover just who I really was. I say all that to say, when I returned to my apartment at Starfleet Command, not only was I greeted with a message from you, I had an urgent message to report immediately to Admiral Jameson.

"I'd be lying if I honestly didn't say I was torn because I desperately wanted to read what you had to say, but ultimately, I succumbed to command and went to meet with Admiral Jameson. When I stepped in to his office, the look on his face made my blood run cold. He said 'Kathryn, I don't know how to tell you this, but we think that Commander Janeway may have been killed.' If I could have screamed, I would have. I think my heart stopped beating. I barely stammered out asking what happened. He briefly explained you had been onboard the shuttle  _Sequoia_  and it was reported to have exploded out in Federation space. I couldn't believe it. As I stood to leave, one of his assistants stormed in his office. He relayed the memo that a distress signal had been intercepted by a Starfleet vessel and it indicated that Commander Janeway could possibly still be alive. My mind was whirling, so I told the Admiral that I was returning to my apartment and to please update me as soon as possible."

Taking a moment, she took a sip of her coffee before picking up where she had stopped. "When I returned to my apartment, I immediately went straight to my workstation and read through your message. Just having a message from you was all I needed. I knew you were a fighter, and I knew if there was some small way you could have escaped, you would have figured it out. I didn't have this emotional feeling that you were gone, as I knew I would feel should you physically be gone from me. But hearing the apprehension in your message, it broke my heart because it was my fault you were on that ship. I read your message over and over and knew I would move Heaven and Earth and even the entire Universe if I could to get you back. I took your words to heart and made a promise that we would work through things no matter what it took. As I continued to re-read your words over and over, Admiral Jameson messaged me and said that  _Voyager_ was en route for the rescue mission. They had located your escape pod on sensors and were going to recover it and would proceed to K-7. Needless to say in that moment, it didn't even dawn on me what ship he said, my immediate concern was determining how to get here to K-7. I found the first available mode of transportation to get myself to you, as I was not about to abandon you again."

Over the course of the next couple of hours, Kate spent recanting her stint on the  _Excalibur_ , as well as providing an in depth recount of the events on Capella IV, the attack on the  _Sequoia_  and her escape and the subsequent rescue by  _Voyager_. Kate, however, made sure to steer clear of anything surrounding her dinner and evening with Chakotay. That was something she was not quite ready to reveal as she had a feeling the Vice Admiral might come screaming out of the bag at the realization that she had spent so much time alone with Chakotay. Kathryn and Kate spent a lot of time reflecting back over the past, and both exchanging their apologies for the past wrongs and promises to attempt to rectify and continue to move forward. While Kate did not fully inquire about her past, as she wasn't quite ready to push her mother too far, she did relish the time the two of them shared together.

Just as they were about to discuss her resignation from the  _Excalibur_ , the chime to Chakotay's quarters rang. They exchanged glances before the Vice Admiral answered "Come in."


	7. Chapter 7

Chakotay stepped into his quarters and the expression on his face showed a little bit of relief to see that the two of them were sitting together and neither had killed the other yet.

Kathryn couldn't help but chuckle. "You know, Chakotay, these are your quarters now, so you didn't have to ring the chime." She couldn't help but chide him, and in doing so, it brought out his gorgeous smile, which Kate couldn't help but smile at in return.

"Well, I didn't know what may be transpiring in here, so I decided to ere on the side of caution," he replied.

Kathryn raised an eyebrow and Kate's eyes blared a little in response.

"What would give you that impression?" the Vice Admiral questioned.

He didn't hesitate, "Well, I don't think I'm the only one who sensed the tension build-up on the bridge, and not to mention the all-out stare down the two of you had. It made me wonder what was about to transpire in my quarters and whether I'd have one to return to," he added with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.

Simultaneously, Kate and Kathryn both rolled their eyes, which caused Chakotay to laugh.

"What?" Kate inquired.

"You two just had the same exact expression on your face. A little bit eerie, if I don't say so myself," Chakotay added. "Actually, I came by to let you know, Admiral, that your quarters are ready, and Commander, your personal possessions have been delivered to your quarters. And, if you don't mind, I'd like to have a moment with the Admiral, in private."

Kathryn's head about twisted off its neck as she spun around to glance at him. Kate nodded and as she was about to walk past Chakotay towards the door, he stopped her.

"Here, Commander, I received this a few moments ago from Starfleet Command. They asked me to pass it along to you," Chakotay added while handing her a PADD with a memo, which she took and read as she walked down the corridor to the turbolift to return to her quarters.

Chakotay could sense Kathryn's apprehension. While she never in her life felt uncomfortable with him, quite the opposite as she always felt safe when around him, she had no idea what was about to transpire and her anxiety level was a bit elevated.

He motioned for her to sit down while he retreated to his cabinet and pulled out a bottle of Antarian Cider and returned setting it on the table in front of her. He couldn't help but notice the smirk that crept upon her face.

"You remember?" he quizzed.

"How could I not, Chakotay? After all these years, you still have a bottle?"

He smiled and poured them each a flask. "I had this one hid pretty well from Neelix. When we left  _Voyager_ in 2378, I packed it away with my personal items. I couldn't part with it and decided I needed to save it for a special occasion."

A confused look crept across her face. "But, I thought we used the last bottle on my…" and she stopped just short of saying her birthday. She was fearful to dredge up those memories, even though they were memories from the best night of her life.

As if reading her thoughts, he replied, "Your birthday? Right here in this room? That evening, when I raided the cargo bay in search of the Antarian Cider, I found that I actually had two bottles left rather than one. I grabbed both bottles and hid one in my quarters to use on a later date."

Taking a sip and rolling her eyes she relished the taste. "I never was able to replicate this in all my years back on Earth."

"You tried?" he asked softly catching her off-guard.

She smiled faintly and he knew that forcing her to re-live the past was going to be tough, but he and she both needed closure. He needed answers and she needed to understand some part of reality.

"Yes, Chakotay. There were many of nights where I tried to replicate it and configure the precise calculations of the ingredients. But you and I both know I never was that great with the replicator anyways," she added followed by a slight chuckle.

Sitting in the chair that he always sat in, and her seated on the couch, it was almost as if time had stood still. At this moment, they weren't Captain and Vice Admiral, this was simply Chakotay and Kathryn. He studied her as she savored the cider. It was now or never, he couldn't wait any longer.

"Kathryn," he dropped the title letting her know this was not going to be a command battle fight. And anytime he said her name, the way it rolled off his tongue, it practically made her heart stop. She glanced over at him and froze at the stare he was giving her. It wasn't hateful. It wasn't angered. It wasn't painful. She wasn't sure what it was, but she felt she was drawn to it and couldn't break her eyes away no matter how hard she tried to force herself.

"Kathryn, the reason I asked Kate to leave is because she received her new orders today and I wanted her to read over those."

She couldn't hide the look of shock on her face. "Already? But, I thought she said that  _Voyager_  was going to take her back to Earth and then she'd meet with Starfleet and go from there."

He shook his head and laughed, "Patience never was one of your strong suits, Kathryn," he chided her before continuing down a path that he hadn't initially planned to go right off the bat. "If you'd let me finish, I was going to say that her orders are to temporarily serve as First Officer aboard  _Voyager,_ as we've been assigned a few upcoming missions that will delay our return to Earth,until Starfleet determines her permanent position."

She sat straight up on the sofa and Chakotay fully expected her to bolt upright into her full-fledged commanding position stance, which she immediately did as soon as the thought crossed his mind. She was upset and the Vice Admiral was raging within her. She knew he was somehow behind this, and that was gnawing at her. She paced his quarters and retreated to a corner where she stared out the viewport in front of her.

Without hesitation, Chakotay left his seat and walked to where she had stopped and stood directly behind her.

"Kathryn," he whispered.

"No, Chakotay, she can't," she protested but refused to turn to look at him. He could hear the hostility creeping up in her voice and he knew the next few minutes were about to be a brutal battle.

"She can't what? Be  _MY_  First Officer?" he questioned while adding strong emphasis on the word 'my' which he knew would likely send her over the edge. He wanted to test her. He wanted to push her. How hard would it be for her to break and tell him the precise reason for keeping Kate off this ship, his ship?

She spun around on her heels and nearly collided with him as she didn't realize just how close he was standing to her, all but invading her private space. He noticed the tears in her eyes and could see the war waging within. The fire within her nearly matching the color of her new hairstyle, which he had yet to determine his thoughts on, but it definitely matched her personality.

Calmly, he placed his hands on either of her shoulders in an effort to calm her.

"Kathryn, I can see it. I can see the war raging within you. The incessant, ever ongoing, internal battle of Captain versus Kathryn and now Admiral versus Kathryn. You have to let that go. It's consumed you for years trying to decide which one would win. Why are you blocking her at every step? You know damn well she's likely the best Commander that Starfleet has, and quite possibly has ever had. She is on the fast track to command her own ship. This place is her dream, Kathryn, and it has nothing to do with the fact that her own mother used to be the Captain of this very vessel."

"How?" she stammered, "Do you know that?"

"She told me, Kathryn. Last night, she and I had a heart-to-heart. I figured she wouldn't tell you. She's scared, Kathryn. The Vice Admiral terrifies her and the Vice Admiral also makes her angry. She loves you and she wants you to stop fighting yourself. She's a deeply scarred young woman, but she is tough and she won't let just anyone see the burdens she carries. But the biggest burden she has is the fear of letting you down. She wants you to be proud of her, but she doesn't know how to please both the Vice Admiral and Kathryn.

"Yes, part of her is following in your footsteps, but she's blazing her own path.  _Voyager_  just happens to be part of her dream, and quite honestly, if you'd listen to her intently, you'd realize her desire to be onboard  _Voyager_  isn't because of her mother but because of a passion she's had since her childhood. So, since you won't honestly tell Kate the truth, will you tell me?

"You used to tell me that I was the one you trusted the most, and while I know things were left on rocky territory for us, which we will discuss later, let the Vice Admiral out and take your anger out on me, Kathryn. Hit me. Fight me. Whatever it takes. Just tell me the truth as to why you blocked her from being on  _Voyager_  two years ago. Be angry with me, not with her. Please, Kathryn."

There it was again, she thought to herself. The tone in his voice that continued to pull at her heartstrings. She knew that he knew the truth, and now likely Kate knew the truth. Kathryn knew they both wanted her to actually come out and say it, which is what she'd struggled to do not just with Kate but with her own self for all these years. He'd backed her into a corner and the one person she could not lie to was Chakotay. He knew her better than anyone, even better than her own self at times. And above all, he deserved the truth, though she personally feared how this could change the both of them.

In that moment, she did something she had never done before. Instinctively, she reached for his hand and led him back to the sofa where they sat down side-by-side. He could see the tears forming in her eyes and she was fighting hard not to let them spill over. Still holding her hand, he gently caressed her forehand causing her to faintly smile.

"Kathryn, it's okay. It's just me. Don't be afraid to let your emotions shine. It'll be our little secret, okay?" he smiled at her reassuringly.

"Chakotay," she said with a slight crack in her typically strong voice. "I was stupid to block her, and that day when she stormed out of Jameson's office, I swear, I thought she was going to kill me. She practically ripped the door off the hinges and she charged me like a raging bull. She got literally within centimeters of me and I half expected her to slap me or punch me or something. She has much more willpower than I ever dreamed because she stopped and just stared at me. I felt she was literally glaring straight through my entire being. There was so much hatred in her eyes. It terrified me. When she told me that I made her sick and stormed off, part of me wanted to crumble into a million pieces, but that cocky side of me couldn't help but smirk because I had her just where I wanted her.

"It was a game, Chakotay. A sick, wicked game that I was playing with myself, and I crossed a massive line. Why I did what I did is hard to explain as I'm not even quite sure I understand it. To her that evening, I came up with some story about wanting her to make her own path, which I do, but when she told me she wished she had never known me, Chakotay, I was beyond crushed. Kathryn wanted to literally die, but the damn, Vice Admiral was playing a very vindictive and daring game, but ultimately, I think I realized that I had met my match. I never should have sent her on the death mission with  _Excalibur_. She and I discussed some of this earlier, but I still haven't been completely honest with her."

Looking away from him for a minute to collect her thoughts, she turned back to face him while still holding his hand. "I know she thinks I blocked her because I didn't want anyone else to be First Officer of this ship or because I didn't want her to get close to you or get hurt by you. I know she told me all of these reasons, but none of them made sense as to where they were coming from until now since I now know the two of you have likely already discussed this. But, Chakotay, I'm apprehensive about this temporary assignment, just as I was two years ago when the initial idea came up. Kathryn goes in to protective mode yet it causes the Vice Admiral to rage out and try to stop things. This time, I can't stop it because apparently you went above me."

For once in his life, Chakotay was losing his patience. He had to get her to stop rambling, which was a rare nervous habit she had when she was avoiding telling the complete truth about a situation. He reached out and touched the side of her face which immediately caused her to stop talking and stare at him wide-eyed.

With a smirk on his face that showed off one of his gorgeous dimples, he joked, "Would you please get to the point? What's the real reason, Kathryn? You and Kate have told me the same stories and while I don't mind hearing them, I want to know the truth. Her reasons are all speculation because she has no idea and is grasping for straws, for anything really. I didn't know what to tell her because it made no sense to me why you would block her because that's not the Kathryn I know. My Kathryn wouldn't do that. I have my ideas, but quit stalling and just spill it."

She returned his smirk with one of her own as the words 'my Kathryn' rolled around in the back of her mind sending goosebumps down her spine. "And I thought you Native Americans were taught patience as one of your prime skills," she added before her facial expression returned serious. "Fine. I am trying to protect her, Chakotay. If she had applied for  _Voyager_  two years ago, when you had seen her name, you would have been confused. She didn't need any additional questions and she didn't need Starfleet digging in to her past, let alone mine. Had she been appointed to be your First Officer and you all set sail to the clear blue yonder and Starfleet were to find out, both of your careers would have been toast."

The look in his eyes revealed his frustration and maybe even a hint of anger. He shook his head and made a noise out of sheer aggravation at her utter stubborn streak before he finally spat out, almost without thinking, "You just can't say it, can you?"

He had done it this time. He had pushed her buttons, and she was about to explode.

Jerking her hand away from his, she wanted to jump up and run but she couldn't draw her eyes away from his, where she finally saw the flash between anger and hurt. The look she was absolutely terrified to see, but there was no escaping it as she was long overdue for being on the receiving end of that look from him.

"I can't say what, Chakotay? That Kate is your daughter? Yes, she is your absolutely gorgeous, beautiful daughter. She is natured just like you. She has that incredibly delicious smile and those utterly fine dimples. Every time I look at her, I am reminded of you. And to have her set sail on  _Voyager_  would have been a violation of protocol, it still will be. A father/daughter command team goes against all sorts of protocols and regulations. If Starfleet were to find out, they'd have all our careers. And while I could care less if they have mine anymore, I can't and won't jeopardize her future. She is beyond bright, Chakotay, she is next in line to captain a ship. She deserves it; we both know she does.

"And I didn't want you to lose  _Voyager_.  _Voyager_  is our family. It has to stay in the family until they de-commission it, which won't be too much longer since they are building that new ship. But additionally, I couldn't deal with the risk of losing the both of you. My God, Chakotay, if you two had been serving on the same ship and it go missing again for seven years, I couldn't live with myself. So, I made an ass out of myself and blocked her from a dream she'd always wanted because ultimately I couldn't confront the truth. It absolutely terrified me. I had already lost you, and I couldn't bear to lose her, too. She is you inside and out."

The strain and pain in her voice caused Chakotay's heart to ache. He knew how hard this was on her, yet it was equally hard on him finally hearing her say that Kate was indeed his daughter. He was still angry and hurt by her not telling him all those years ago, but he ached because he could see the own hurt and pain ridiculing Kathryn's body and he wanted to help her.

"Kath…" he began but she held up her hand in protest.

"I'm not finished," she stated firmly. It was now or never. If he wanted to push her buttons, then she was going to completely let it all out of the bag. "I know you want to know why. Why didn't I ever tell you? Why did I hide her? Why did I hurt you like this? Chakotay, I don't know the answers to all of those questions. I knew it would hurt you if you found out you had a child. Just like the time that Seska tried to convince you that she had procreated your child, which was all ultimately a lie. I knew how desperately you wanted to be a father. But Chakotay, you were involved with Seven, there's no way in hell, I would destroy another relationship for my own personal gratification and satisfaction. You hurt  _ME_ , Chakotay, by betraying my trust and going behind my back the night after my birthday by taking Seven out on a date and beginning a relationship with her! That hurt me beyond anything I've ever come close to feeling, Chakotay.

"My birthday was the most incredible night of my life. Your card was the most heartfelt thing I had ever received from anyone, and I still have it to this day. But days later seeing you with Seven, it crushed me to my inner soul. And seeing the two of you together throughout the remainder of our voyage, I couldn't take it, Chakotay. I didn't know I was pregnant at that time, but when I went to visit my family, I figured it out and I panicked. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to be a mother, but I had a career and I couldn't do it alone. You and Seven had moved to God knows where and were likely settling down and starting a family. I wasn't about to interrupt your happiness for a dream that I had that ultimately will never come true.

"So, I went on a soul trek and ended up in Cherokee. They agreed to raise her, Chakotay. I wanted her to grow up knowing about the Native American lifestyle. I know Cherokee isn't your tribe, but I knew she would be isolated and protected there. I knew she would grow into a wise young woman, and I knew the Cherokee would teach her much more than I ever could about her spirit animal and all of the Native American culture. When she was born, I gasped because she was identical to you. She had jet, jet black hair and olive skin. She was tall and healthy, she was your exact replica down to those damn dimples and smile. When I returned to Starfleet, I went through a severe depression and they sent me far, far away on a mission, which helped ease my mind to some extent. But even then, I was too stubborn to admit I needed help.

"When I returned to Earth, I tried on several occasions to return to Cherokee, where I fully intended to retrieve her, but I knew that I couldn't handle the additional pressures much less all of the questions that would come my way, and then when I started receiving messages from you, I broke. I couldn't confront my demons, and I put on the Admiral mask and suppressed Kathryn into a far, far corner of the universe. I know the both of you want me to stop the inner war, but Chakotay, I don't know how. I'm scarred in my own ways and I don't know how to stop the battle that rages within. I know I've hurt you in many, many ways, and for that I'll never be able to ask for enough forgiveness as it crushes me more than anything to know the pain that I've inflicted upon you. But yes, Chakotay, she is our absolutely gorgeous daughter. Did you honestly think she could be someone else's daughter?"

Why she asked the last question, she wasn't sure, and she certainly wasn't prepared for his response.

"Well, after your affair with Jaffen, I wasn't 100% sure," he stated aloud before realizing what he had said. Maybe it came from the portion of his heart that was still hurt and sad over not knowing the truth so long ago, but as soon as he had said it, he instantly regretted it.

Her eyes blared wide-open and she shot straight up in the air almost as if she were ready to take his head off. He knew if she'd had a weapon attached to her hip, she likely would have shot him because the reaction on her face was beyond rage. Instead, she did something she, nor he, never envisioned her doing, she slapped him hard across the face.

"Chakotay!" she practically screamed at him.

Slowly, he stood up knowing he had ultimately crossed the line as a fist collided with his chest. She continued to pound on him with both fists, but deep down, he knew this was good. She'd had this bottled up for years now, and she needed to get it out. He was likely the only person she could lower her guard for and let this side of her come out. The anger was raging and he knew soon the tears would come. Fortunately, he had asked for no interruptions so there would be no one to chime his door and there would be no one badging his communication. This was all about healing and attempting to move forward.

"Why would you dare think that Jaffen would be her father? She doesn't even have the damn facial markings!" she practically spat at him. He knew that trigger struck her deep to her core. "Apparently my birthday night meant absolutely nothing to you. It's truly evident now that I let you use me when all you cared about, like every other damn man on this ship, was Seven and her body!"

He wasn't quite prepared for her last remark, and while he knew she likely didn't mean what she had just said about her birthday, if he didn't stop her now, things would only get worse. She needed to know the truth about his relationship with Seven, but getting her to calm down long enough to listen was going to near about be impossible. She kept pounding his chest until she physically collapsed against him, and that's when he felt her body convulsing as the waves of tears began to tear through her body.

He wrapped his arms around her and held her in place, rubbing slow circles in her back trying to calm her.

"Kathryn, please, let it all out. You need this.  _We_  need this."

He had made sure to add the emphasis on 'we' which caused her to stop shaking. Gently she lifted herself away from his chest and held eye contact with him noticing that even he had tears in his eyes and trickling down his own cheeks. He still held on to her with his hands locked behind her back while she had one of her own placed on his arm and another on his chest. He could see the confusion and range of emotions rushing like a windstorm within her eyes. To cloud her judgment all the more and to bring her back to reality, he decided to cross a line that he had only crossed once before. Slowly, he lifted her chin with his right hand, tilting her head slightly while he leaned down and placed a feather-light kiss on her lips. When he felt her body tense, he pulled back.

"Kathryn, I know she's my daughter. I knew it as soon as I saw her name. Shakonohey and Chakotay are pretty damn near close. And then when I saw her, I knew all the more. She has many more of your facial characteristics as she gets her beauty from her mother, the hair color and the build of her body are mine. She's much more mannered like you than you even care to admit. While I am hurt on many levels in that I never knew that I had a daughter, I have her now, Kathryn, and I don't want anything to change that. She is stunning, she is beautiful inside and out, just like her mother. I'm sorry I said what I did about Jaffen. I knew the timing wasn't right, but I had to be sure and you needed to have a breaking point. Now, your statement about your birthday is highly inaccurate as that was the most magical night of my entire life. I meant every single word that I wrote to you in that card, and I still mean it. If I could go back, I would redo that night over and over and over again. Making you go absolutely wild out of your mind."

He noticed she was shaking her head violently. "We can't! You can't. Stop, Chakotay! You're hurting…" she pleaded.

"Who, Kathryn? Just who am I hurting?"

"Seven," she barely breathed out her name.

This time it was Chakotay who took her by both hands and led them back to the sofa where they sat back down and he continued to hold both of her hands in his much larger hands. Ever so gently he reached out and tucked the wild strand of red hair behind her ear. He broke out into a wide smile, "What exactly did you do to your hair?"

It brought a smile to her face. A real Kathryn smile that so rarely escaped for those to have the pleasure of seeing. She batted her eyes and replied innocently, "Do you not like it?"

He laughed. "It's not that I don't like it. It's actually quite flattering, but it definitely takes some adjusting and the color is very fitting for your personality."

She rolled her eyes and replied, "Jeez, thanks."

"Kathryn," he turned serious, "We need to talk about what happened on  _Voyager_. I need you to listen to me with undivided attention and to NOT interrupt me. Can you do that?"

"Yes, I promise."

"There was never any Seven and me," he paused as she uttered a "but" and then he raised an eyebrow and she silenced herself.

"I know you saw me at the door to her quarters that one evening before I took her to dinner. I know you somehow found out about her holodeck program, and ultimately, I think you heard through the grapevine that I kissed her. But, Kathryn, it was all part of her social training. There was NO relationship at all. The Doctor got me wrapped up in the nonsense, and I tried to get out of it. Believe me, I did. He couldn't ask Harry because his hormones were raging as he already wanted to date Seven. He couldn't ask Tom because he was married to B'Elanna and she would kill him. Tuvok, well he has no emotions, and Neelix just isn't human. So, that left me. I didn't know what I was about to get myself in to, and once I realized what all The Doctor wanted me to do, I tried to put up a protest. Seven wanted more, I think, and initially, I think the thought might have slightly turned me on, but you were always on my mind and I had to put my foot down. It was wrong of me to betray you. I knew the night you saw me that you would misinterpret it, but you wouldn't let me explain it to you when I tried confronting you later. I knew I had hurt you and I will never be able to forgive myself for that.

"When we returned to Earth, I knew you'd be whisked away to debriefings and I waited and waited and waited to find you afterwards because I wanted to explain. I wanted to begin a future with you, Kathryn. I was ready to resign from Starfleet if that could mean I could spend my life with you. I would hang it all up. You remember the Angry Warrior story - your needs came first and that was where I found my ultimate peace? But I wasn't at peace because I knew I had hurt you, and when you disappeared, I was lost. I had no idea where to find you. I went to Indiana and met your mother and sister, who informed me that you had just left. I had missed you by a day. But even they had no idea of where you went. I begged them not to tell you that I came and judging by your reaction just now, you had no idea that I went to see your family. I had every intention of asking your family if I could have their permission to marry you. When you went missing, I was torn. I was lost. I ended up going to see some Indian Tribal Leaders to seek guidance and advice as even my Spirit Animal Guide was of no use. I spent a great deal of time out in the Mojave Desert trying to process it all.

"Eventually, I returned to Starfleet, where I received the notification that I'd been appointed, at your request, to be the Captain of  _Voyager_. I was honored and humbled, but I needed to see you, I needed to talk to you, anything. You can ask the crew, I was pretty miserable that first year as their captain. It's a true wonder they didn't stage a mutiny to overthrow me. I refused to allow Seven to continue to serve onboard  _Voyager_. Once we had returned to Earth, she and I separated ways. To be honest, I don't keep in contact with her, as I blame her for ruining what I could and should have had – a life of happiness. I wish I could say I'm sorry and it would be okay and we move forward, but I could never apologize enough, I just…"

She put a finger over his lips and shook her head indicating for him to stop.

"I don't even know what to say. I should've confronted you directly all those years ago, but I was hurt and scared because of what I'd gone through in my past with Justin and then Mark. I was terrified of being hurt again, and then I felt I was. Hell, Chakotay, I fell in love with a damn hologram while on this ship because I got so lonely, and I nearly lost what little of my mind I had left with Kashyk. But I wish now that I had listened to you but I was too scared. And then, my God, when I found out I was pregnant... I feel like such an idiot for not dealing with this. Things could have been so much different. You really went to Indiana to see my family?"

He laughed at her shocked expression. "Yes, I did as I was desperate to find you, Kathryn. Your sister is very nice, as is your mother. You look a lot like your mom, by the way."

Her mouth was wide open. She couldn't believe he had met her sister, let alone her mother and neither of them had ever said a word to her about it.

"My God, my sister usually can't keep her mouth shut. How on earth the two of them kept this so quiet?"

"Do they know about Kate?"

"No, they don't. I never told a soul, Chakotay, well other than the woman who raised her and the Tribal Chief. They didn't know your name, but I wanted them to know you were Native American. I asked them to help me come up with her middle name. I asked them if the area surrounding them had any sort of special name or meaning and when they said they often referred to it as Shakonohey, I just fell in love with it. It didn't even dawn on me until one evening, as I lay on the ground looking up at the stars just how similar the name was with your actual name. The similarities were ironic to say the least and then I knew that had to be her middle name.

"And, this part I've never even told Kate or anyone else for that matter. I also had to give her up for her protection. I know what the Cardassians did to your family and the Maquis, but they also hurt me, Chakotay. I was held captive many, many years ago by the Cardassians. I was tortured and had horrific things done to me. They told me then that should I ever have any children, they would make sure to hunt them down, find them, kidnap them and ensure I would never see them again. I never thought much about it, but when we had the ordeal with Seska turning out to be a true Cardassian and not a Bajoran, I immediately had flashbacks to my encounter. I've never told anyone the whole story of all that happened to me, and I don't want to get in to that now, Chakotay, but ultimately, I was and still am absolutely terrified. When I realized I was pregnant, I knew I had to go in to hiding because I feared them having a spy somewhere that would take her from me and I would never see her again. It's a fear that I still have now that everyone knows she is my daughter. I had to protect her, Chakotay. I still have to protect her. But ultimately, I know it hurts you all the more that I've never shared all of this with you. How can you ever forgive me?"

Inwardly, Chakotay was enraged. Not at Kathryn, but at the realization that she had been abused and hurt by the same alien race that had pillage his own people. He ached knowing that Kathryn feared for not only her own self for ultimately for their daughter's safety. He forced a smile and touched her cheek.

"Kathryn, let it go. I'm not going to hold that over your head forever. It'll take some time to get over the shock and hurt, but I will get over that. While I would have loved to have been there when you gave birth to her, to have held her hand as a child, to have taught her the Native American traditions on my own, I can see she had a perfect upbringing. She is so intelligent, she's very gifted and she's definitely been taught the patience tasks because unlike her mother, she is much more adept at being patient," he couldn't help but let a smile creep up on his face when he stated that.

"Right now, I'm more upset to know about the fact that you were hurt and tortured by the Cardassians, whom I hate with a passion. I can understand you not wanting anyone to know about this, but it's me, Kathryn. I know you don't want to talk about this now, but we need to talk about this, and at some point, you are going to have to tell Kate because she likely will encounter them at some point. But having a little insight in to that makes me understand a little more why you would give her up because of your fear, but we'll protect her, Kathryn.

"Let's not worry about all that right now. Let's be happy that she's safe and sound and recovering. I know you're not happy about her being my First Officer, but Kathryn, I'm retiring soon. I wanted someone in place to run this ship because I know that  _Voyager_  is about to be scrapped and replaced by the new warship – the new  _Voyager_ , and you said earlier that  _Voyager_  is family. Let her be my First Officer. We'll keep our real identity hidden, although I know the senior officers have likely already figured it out or are strongly speculative. That being said, when I retire, maybe Starfleet will have the common sense to let her lead the new  _Voyager_  once they turn this one in to scrap metal."

She nodded. "I'll agree to it, but I do think at some point we should tell the senior crew the truth. That's the least they deserve. Chakotay, I will do everything in my power to protect the two of you and if Starfleet asks any questions, I'll do everything in my power to keep your paternity a secret. I don't mean to say that to think that I don't want people to know you are her father, but just as I don't want her career hanging in the balance, I don't want yours either. And as far as  _Voyager_ , you're right, they do intend to sideline this ship soon. The new warship is impressive to say the least. It will become the new  _Voyager_ , and while it was my dream to see you at the command of the new  _Voyager_ , if your intention is to retire from active duty, then I want us both to figure a way to have her appointed as captain, which that request can't ultimately come from me because of obvious favoritism."

He couldn't help but hide the smirk that crept upon her face. "I've kind of already beat you to that punch. When I was doing a teleconference with Admiral Jameson earlier, he made reference to Kate and how he felt she would make a wonderful captain, possibly of the new warship. I informed him that I did not foresee my likelihood of remaining in active duty much longer and that no one on my immediate crew wanted that task, but based on her service record and the talent I had already observed, I told him she would get my recommendation. He made a note in the file, as he said she was already the top candidate. I, of course, cannot tell her that since we can't make promises that may not come to fruition."

Chakotay watched her carefully as her expression turned serious once again.

"Chakotay, I'm worried about her. You know she's natured very much like me and when the reality sets in that Ensign Adley died in the Borg attack, she is going to take that personally and feel it is her responsibility. I know that she's had a number of sessions with Deanna Troi-Riker, both professionally and as friends, but Deanna isn't always around nor can she share with us the things they've discussed, which sometimes worries me. You know how I got when we went through the void and was ready to act irrationally. If she's natured like me, I fear she is going to do something like that. Granted, she has more of a calm about her, like you, than I do, so maybe she can figure how to channel it. But promise me, that you will keep an eye on her. As Vice Admiral, I can't be onboard the ship all the time, which is probably a relief to you and some others, but please, promise me that you'll take care of her. I know the First Officer is to take care of the Captain, and God knows you did a fine, fine job of that for me, but this is a little different."

He smiled faintly before replying. "I was a fine First Officer, wasn't I?"

She swatted at his arm before retorting, "In more ways than one."

She watched as he in turn returned serious.

"Kathryn, I know the First Officer is to look out for the Captain and protect him or her at all costs, and I have no doubt that Kate is very capable of that. But I can and will promise you that I will take care of her. As long as she's on my ship and even when she's not, you have nothing to fear. I will take care of my daughter. That is one promise I can and will make to you."

They both stared at each other for a few minutes. No words were spoken. Both seemed to be reading each other's minds searching for what would come next. They both knew the discussion of the past and ultimately future was needed, but today was not the day. It was Kathryn who dropped a question that completely caught Chakotay off-guard.

"Will you help me?"

He had just taken a sip of his cider and shook his head in confusion. The innocence in her tone, it almost reminded him of an individual pleading for help.

"Kathryn?"

"You helped me find my animal guide years ago. Can you help me fight the battle and help me with my struggle between Kathryn and Admiral? We never had an official ship counselor, but I always confided in you and asked you for advice just as if you were more than my First Officer. As a friend, if you still consider me that after all that I've dumped on you, would you be willing to help me? I know it won't be an easy task, but for both you and Kate, the least you deserve is my effort at trying to rectify a major wrong. But, I can't do it alone."

He was beyond honored that she would completely let her guard down and humble herself to ask such a huge favor. Taking both of her hands in his, he smiled and replied, "Your request humbles me, Kathryn, and it would be my honor to help you. It won't be an overnight accomplishment as you'll never fully rid yourself of both, but we can hopefully help you learn how to suppress the anger that rises up from the Admiral. In some ways, you don't need to let that go because you still need that part of you in your career, but the differentiation has to come mainly in your personal life, where the struggle seems to be the greatest. I'm more than willing to do anything I can for you. As I told you once a long, long time ago as you lay unconscious in sickbay, I said 'you're more than my captain, you're my friend'. That still holds true to this day. No matter what all has happened, we'll always be friends. What else may or may not happen, that's to be determined, but I'm glad to help you get through this. We will do it together, as we always did everything all those years ago, and together, we can accomplish anything and heal from the past and chart new paths for the future."

As they sat and chatted briefly for a little while longer, he received an alert on his interoffice workstation.

"Excuse me," he stated while retreating over to read his message. "Ahhh…" he said which immediately sparked her curiosity.

"What is it Chakotay?"

"Well, Admiral, some things are meant for the Captain's eyes only."

When he glanced over towards her, she had her hands on her hips as she had stood to walk around his quarters. "I'm just kidding, Kathryn. But, I had set an automated message to be delivered to the crew at a specific time that was announcing our new First Officer. Apparently, Mr. Neelix has replied stating that we need to have an official ceremony to be followed by a party. So, I guess we'll officially swear her in on the bridge and then have a party. As her mother and as our Vice Admiral, your attendance is strongly recommended and encouraged."

She stepped closer to him, crowding his personal space. "Is that an order, Captain, or merely a suggestion?"

Her tone had a slight hint of seduction in it and he had to dismiss the thoughts that started running through his head.

"Kathryn," he retorted, "Not now…But in all seriousness, will you please attend? I think it would be a surprise and honor for her."

She smiled, "Of course, Chakotay, but we're not divulging her father's identity at the same time are we?"

"No, we'll hold a private meeting for that later, but I want to talk to Kate about that first to make sure she is fine with it."

"Well, I better go back to my quarters, as weird as that seems since this feels like home. But nonetheless, I better go back to get ready," she replied. As she took a step closer to the door, she paused yet again as the photo of herself and Chakotay caught her attention. "I can't believe you kept that after all these years."

He came and stood behind her. "There are some things that even I have a hard time letting go of, Kathryn. That's human nature. And there are some things that I absolutely refuse to let go of."

She turned her head sideways and the look in his eyes took her breath away. Not only had he not forgotten how to kiss, as she had been so kindly and briefly reminded of earlier, but additionally, he still had the look that could make her weak in the knees. She turned back and headed towards the door knowing that if she stayed, they'd neither one ever make it to her daughter's swearing in ceremony.

"I'll see you soon, Chakotay," she stated in a raspy voice as she exited the doorway and headed down the corridor to her quarters, just mere steps away from his.


	8. Chapter 8

**Location:** _**USS Voyager** _ **Ready Room and Bridge**

An hour or so later, Chakotay met with Kate in his ready room on the bridge to instruct her as to what was about to transpire. A simple ceremony would be held on the bridge in front of the senior officers, and it would be broadcast over the ship's communication system officially swearing her in as the interim First Officer of the starship  _Voyager_. After the ceremony, they would have a small celebration in the mess hall courtesy of Neelix. At that point, she'd assume her official duties, which fortunately for her, she was accustomed to the duties of the Commander on a starship, so things should ultimately fall in to place.

"Kate, there's one thing that your mother and I decided needed to be addressed with the senior crew at a later date, but we wanted your input first. She and I both feel, since they've all been with us for so many years that they deserve to know the truth of who your biological father is. It is our intention not to publish this information to Starfleet Command yet as that would jeopardize protocol as a father/daughter team cannot command a ship. But after we complete our next several missions, it is my upcoming desire, as it has been for a year or more now, to retire as an active captain. As you well know  _Voyager_  is to be decommissioned and likely become scrap metal as the new warship will become the new  _Voyager_. It will be up to Starfleet to determine who will command that ship. I would personally hope that it would be you, but since we don't know, that's another reason we wanted you to have a role here on  _Voyager_. It is your dream after all, and if I can help make your dream a reality, then so be it. But, what do you say about clueing the senior crew in?"

She batted her big blue eyes at him and a small smile crept upon her face. "Well, to be honest with you, Captain, the announcement to the senior crew would likely be an announcement to me since by all intents and purposes my mother, the Vice Admiral, has still not relayed to me who my biological father actually is. I mean for all I know maybe a hologram got her pregnant."

He cocked his head sideways and stared at her. In that moment, he couldn't tell if she was being serious or if she was sassing him.

She laughed because she had fooled him. "Calm down, Captain, I was just sassing you, but in reality, she still hasn't told me, but judging by your comment, I assume that she must have finally told you or else you drugged her and pulled it out of her?"

He smiled in return. "You're so much like her, it is unreal, although she wasn't quite as good at the sass part as you are. But yes, after some strong coercion, she finally broke down and confessed to me that yes, I am indeed your father. I'm hopeful that she will eventually tell you, though we both kind of already knew it to be the case."

She smiled faintly at him and turned her back to stare out the windows from his ready room. He secretly wondered what was going through her mind until she finally broke the silence.

"How upset is she?"

The question slightly threw Chakotay off balance. "Upset? What do you mean?"

"Well, she and I didn't kill each other during our brief discussion earlier, but I can still feel some slight tension as there is still so much of us that needs to be resolved. I can only imagine her eruption when you told her about my appointment as First Officer aboard  _Voyager_. I imagine she gave you every excuse in the book, and I don't even likely imagine she'll be here today for the ceremony. So, I'm just rather curious as to how upset she was."

Kate had not turned around to face him when she was talking, as she remained in her straight back position staring out in to the distant space, but she could feel his approach. He came and stood mere inches apart from her. She knew he likely did this to her mother over the years, and it made Kate wonder how her mother had had the willpower to rebut his advances all those years.

"Katie," he barely whispered.

"Katie," she echoed back in slight shock and awe. It was rare that she ever let anyone call her that. While she didn't detest it, as she did being called Kathryn, Katie was almost more like a pet name or something with a little more sentimentality. So, coming from Chakotay, of all people and the tone in which he had said it, made her heart smile.

"I can't make any promises as to what the future may hold for you, for your mother, for me, for anyone, as I don't have that kind of power. And while I can tell you that she wasn't thrilled with the concept of you becoming First Officer, she finally succumbed. We'll get through this together. I know you've struggled your whole life with feeling alone, as I've read that in some of your logs, but as I so often told you mother, you're not alone, and I'll do everything in my power to support and protect you."

She turned towards him and a look came over her that made her literally appear to be a little child. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in the crook of his neck.

"Thank you for everything. You're a kind man with a gigantic heart and a heart of pure gold. You've put up with God knows what this afternoon with her. I can't thank you enough. And just so you know, I love you," she paused not knowing what to call him. He was her Captain yet he was her father but she didn't know if Dad was too forward or maybe there was another Native American phrase they could use as a code. Glancing up she noticed the tears that had formed in his eyes and slid delicately down his cheek. She wiped them away as she stared back at him. "We'll face the future together of whatever happens with  _Voyager_. This is beyond my dream. You forced her hand and I'm sure she's ticked off, but I can't thank you enough. If you are okay with telling the crew that you're my father that is completely fine by me. If Starfleet finds out, it has been well-worth it for me, and that's the truth."

Their brief moment was interrupted by Lt. Commander Paris informing them that things were in place on the bridge for the ceremony, which caused Chakotay to step back towards his desk to retrieve the items he needed for the upcoming ceremony.

As Chakotay rounded his desk and was just about to step past Kate, she said "Edoda" and he immediately froze in place. She knew Cherokee wasn't his native tongue, but she knew by the way he stopped that he immediately knew what she had said. She inched closer to where he stood and took him by the hand and searched his face. She saw a peace wash through his eyes, a sign of joy and contentment. She raised her eyebrows as if asking him if he knew what she had said.

"You called me father in Cherokee," he said it softly, barely in a whisper.

Silently she continued to survey him to determine if she had crossed a line or if he was content with that. He broke out in to one of his patented smiles and nodded his head as if he understood what she was asking. He stepped towards her and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"I love you, too, and I'm beyond proud of you and all of your accomplishments but more importantly, I'm proud to know that you are my daughter and that you hold dear to your Native American ancestry, even if you aren't biologically Cherokee."

Her smile matched his and she nodded her head. "Let's get this show on the road," she added while nodding her head towards the door.

When the stepped out of his ready room and on to the bridge, the entire senior crew was standing at full attention, but that wasn't what caught Kate's attention the most. In the midst of all the hoopla stood her mother, whom she had not expected to see attend this ceremony because she knew she was not thrilled at the prospect of Kate becoming First Officer of  _Voyager_. But what shocked her the most was the smile that was radiating from her mother's face. A smile she had not seen in years – it was filled with joy and even pride. What had she and Chakotay discussed or what had he done to change her mind? Those thoughts ran through Kate's mind a mile a minute, but she couldn't dwell on that at the present moment.

She had been wearing the  _Voyager_  uniform since they had rescued her from the pod, as her  _Excalibur_  uniform had been ultimately destroyed. So there would be no need for a change of uniform, however her comm badge and pips would all be changed to meet the  _Voyager_  design, which Starfleet had changed protocols and each ship had their own individual design. Typically, the Captain would do the honors of bestowing upon his First Officer their new comm badge and pips by placing them directly on the officer's uniform, but this time, Chakotay decided to do something slightly different – he decided to utilize the assistance of the Vice Admiral.

After he completed the Starfleet and subsequent  _Voyager_  oath and commands with Kate, he stated, "Admiral Janeway would you be willing to assist me in bestowing upon Commander Janeway her official  _Voyager_  pips and comm badge?"

Kathryn was surprised but humbled by his gesture. She nodded her head as a faint smile crept upon her face and stepped beside of him. What none of them were aware of was the fact that The Doctor had brought along his camera and was snapping pictures of this historic moment.

"Commander Janeway, it is an honor to have you serve aboard the  _USS_   _Voyager_ , a ship that holds much prestige and prominence within Starfleet. A ship that holds much history not only for Starfleet but for the Janeway family in general. You come from a long lineage of ancestors who have served Starfleet proudly with both your grandfather and your mother serving as Admirals, but most importantly with your mother, Admiral Kathryn Janeway, leading this very same vessel in to discovering worlds unknown. It is our honor and privilege to have our former Captain back with us today, and what more fitting than to have her assist me with the pinning ceremony," Chakotay stated while stepping in front of Kate. "This is your official communication badge. Sadly, that means Mr. Paris or any of us can now contact you at a moment's notice."

The senior crew couldn't help but chuckle as Chakotay pinned the communication badge to her command uniform.

"The Vice Admiral holds in her hands your First Officer pips. You're well accustomed to this title from where you faithfully served as Commander of the  _Excalibur_ , where you previously risked your life on an away mission to rescue one of your own crewmates. Then you single handedly fought off and destroyed a Borg cube in a shuttle, which is an unbelievable accomplishment. We are proud to bestow the Commander pips back on you but for an even better ship with an even better crew. Admiral Janeway would you do the honors of pinning the Commander,  _your_ daughter?" Chakotay had made sure to add emphasis on the word your as he turned to watch.

Tom, B'Elanna and Harry all exchanged glances with Neelix and The Doctor who was still snapping pictures, and they had a secret idea that popped in to their heads but how they would pull it off, they didn't know. They caught a quick glare from Chakotay and straightened up to attention.

While Kathryn pinned the pips carefully on Kate's neck, Kate couldn't help but see the slight formation of tears in her mother's eyes. Once she had finished the last pip, Kathryn gave her daughter a hug, which was quite honestly out of character for the Admiral to show affection in public. While embracing her daughter, she whispered in her ear, "I love you, sweetheart, with all my heart, and I am beyond proud of you. This is your home, this is where you deserve to be."

When she pulled back from the embrace, Kate looked down at her mother, slight tears welling in her own eyes. As much as she wanted to tell her mother that she loved her, too, she was actually speechless because for once in her life, she truly felt that her mother was honestly proud of her, and she was left in complete awe. Sensing the hesitation, the Admiral gave her a slight smirk as if she knew what Kate was thinking. Their eyes were so identical from the color to the glares they could both give, but in that moment, they held each other's stare and Kate saw the happiness within Kathryn's eyes, and Kathryn, in turn, saw the same reflection in her daughter's eyes.

Chakotay heard Tom clear his throat and Neelix interrupted, "Ummm…Captain, if I may, The Doctor brought along his camera to document such a monumental occasion. Could we get a photograph of you, the Admiral and our new Commander? I think it would only be appropriate."

A smirk crept across Kate's face, one that Tom and B'Elanna didn't miss. They had a sneaky feeling she knew what they were up to, but she was also nonetheless grateful because this would be her first official family portrait. Chakotay and Kathryn couldn't respond because Kate had already grabbed them both to pose for a photograph. The Doctor snapped several different ones with a variety of smiles and laughs and stares at each other. His favorite was likely one that he'd taken of Kathryn giving her daughter a kiss on the cheek while Chakotay, who had his arms around both of them, beamed with pride. Eventually, The Doctor set up the camera so that they could take an official crew photo which naturally included the Admiral, as well.  _Voyager_  was one big happy family, and Tom, B'Elanna, Harry and Neelix felt sure they had figured some secrets out now and if they were accurate, it was a secret that they would keep to themselves because they weren't about to spill the beans to Starfleet.

**Location: Mess Hall onboard the** _**USS Voyager** _

A little while later the senior crew strolled in to the mess hall to a warm welcome and celebration by various other crew members. Kate made her way around the room shaking hands and greeting each crew member individually. Chakotay and Kathryn retreated to a corner where they silently observed their daughter carrying on with various individuals. As Chakotay was about to say something to Kathryn, Neelix interrupted, "Captain, Admiral, I must say that these photographs The Doctor took from the ceremony turned out quite wonderfully. I'm going to make some extra copies for the two of you as I think you would want to cherish them just as much as the Commander will." He handed a miniature album to the Vice Admiral before retreating to the kitchen.

Strategically, the first picture that Neelix had placed in the album was one of Kate, Chakotay and Kathryn. When Kathryn opened the album to glance through, she immediately froze and audibly gasped. Chakotay, who had been scanning the crowd, heard the gasp and glanced down at what had captivated her attention. Ever so gently, he reached out and shifted the album so he could see the picture better. Kathryn raised her head to look him in the eye. They stared silently at each other for a few moments almost as if they were reading each other's thoughts. Neelix, who hadn't missed a second, was signaling for Tom and B'Elanna to look at their leaders.

"Chakotay," she barely whispered his name, as she couldn't speak too loudly for fear of other's hearing. "These pictures are incredible. They're our…" and she paused before she said 'family photos' as she wasn't sure how to actually say it. She glanced over at him, and he knew immediately what she was going to say. He simply nodded his head and smiled.

"I know," he simply stated. "And, I think they may have already figured this out on their own, Kathryn," Chakotay added referring to the crew. "I caught Tom, B'Elanna and Harry reading her Starfleet bio before we ever went to rescue her, and then during the ceremony tonight, I caught them giving each other nods and signals. Matter of fact, I can almost bet that Tom, B'Elanna and Neelix are watching us right now."

Simultaneously, their heads shifted upward and towards Tom and B'Elanna's direction, who were immediately caught. They couldn't help but laugh, "You're right, Chakotay, but what if they report to Starfleet?"

He heard the hesitation in her voice and ever so gently, he placed his hand in the small of her back.

"Kathryn, I can promise you that they would not do anything to jeopardize her, you or me. They're curious for sure and probably want to know all the hows, whens and such that is none of their business, but we know how nosey they are. But I can swear to you that they won't do anything to hurt her or us."

The evening finally wound to a close and over the course of the next few days, Kate settled in to her role very quickly. In some ways, she was a better First Officer than Chakotay ever imagined. She knew practically every single thing that was going on ship wide – who was sick, who was working on what project, etc. She was a valuable source of information who had a wealth of knowledge.

The Vice Admiral had elected to remain onboard  _Voyager_  for a few weeks as she had to complete her yearly 'away mission' as was now required of admirals by Starfleet. Even she couldn't help but notice how well Kate was fitting in with the crew and stepping up to any challenge that came her way. For the most part, Kathryn kept to herself. She had dinner a few times with Chakotay, but it was nothing serious – just as friends. They'd continued their previous discussions and felt as if time had stood still as they often picked back up as if they'd not been apart for so many years.

Two weeks after Kate had been sworn in as First Officer, she approached Chakotay about meeting with the senior officers and telling them the truth. It was time they knew the truth about her identity, but ultimately, they had to be sworn to secrecy. She was tired of watching all of them stare at her and she knew they were placing bets and speculating behind the scenes. The other crew members seemed utterly oblivious to the fact of her being the Admiral's daughter, and seemed to ultimately care less about who her father could potentially be. They all treated Kate as if she were just any regular human being, which is exactly what she wanted.

Chakotay called the senior officers in to the conference room by the bridge and he asked Kathryn to join them, as well, since this would obviously impact her, too. She couldn't help but feel slightly out of place as Chakotay had assumed her former chair at the head of the table and Kate was seated in his old seat. It felt like home, but it didn't feel like home, she thought to herself internally. Chakotay offered her his seat but she shook her head indicating that it was his ship and his meeting, she was just there as an attendee.

"Thank you all for coming at such short notice. As you all know the Vice Admiral is going to extend her stay with us so she can fulfill her requirement by Starfleet. We've been assigned on a mission to the far reaches of the Alpha Quadrant to retrieve some additional resources necessary for a variety of functions for Deep Space Nine. While that is part of the reason I called this meeting, it is not the sole reason," he paused and glanced at Kate and then to Kathryn as if getting their permission. When they didn't interject, he continued.

"The topic that is about to be discussed next is highly classified. Each of you in this room must keep this information to yourselves until otherwise noted. If any of you have any objections or cannot comply with this requirement, I ask that you please leave the room now. It will not be held against you should you choose to leave nor will I even note it in your record as this discussion is strictly off-the-record and to be kept out of anyone's log books – personal or professional. Is that understood?"

Everyone nodded their heads and no one decided to leave the room.

"It has been brought to my attention that there have been a number of speculations and possibly even a betting pool going around concerning the identity of Commander Kate Janeway, in particular with the discussion concerning who her biological father may or may not be. Now, you all know how I feel about speculations and betting and such, but I also understand we are all curious individual's and want to know the if, ands, whats, maybes, etc. While I personally don't see where any of this is, in reality, any of anyone's business, I've discussed at length with both the Commander and the Vice Admiral whether they wanted this addressed and we decided to delay that until a later date. Recently the Commander came to me and said it was time. While most of the crew has seemed rather oblivious to the fact, I've known since day one that most of you all here, my senior officers, have been speculating and doing research of your own. That is going to be addressed now."

He paused and stared directly at Tom and B'Elanna. The seriousness in his tone sent shivers down Kathryn's spine as she never realized how truly defensive and protective he could ultimately be over those he cared about.

"Obviously, Admiral Janeway is Commander Janeway's biological mother. The Commander was given up for adoption at birth and was raised by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians in North Carolina. After joining Starfleet, she eventually reunited with her biological mother. After years of speculation on her own part, she recently discovered who her father was, and that would be me, yours truly. That being said, we realize that should Starfleet find out the truth that I am her biological father, they would have both our careers as a father/daughter duo could not ultimately lead a crew. That is why we are asking that this be kept classified. I've discussed with most of you already that it's long been my desire to retire from active service in Starfleet, and we all know that  _Voyager_  is soon to be replaced by the new warship that is near completion. It is my desire that those of you who want to will remain with Starfleet and likely will be reassigned to the new  _Voyager_. I cannot speculate who may or may not command that ship, but I would hope that Starfleet would consider the Commander.

"This is one of the main reasons I chose her to be my First Officer now. I can assure you it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that she was my daughter. At the time, I pondered appointing her to the First Officer role, I was not even aware of the fact that I was her father. I naturally speculated from day one, but I did not receive confirmation until two weeks ago. I say all that to say, we ask for your support and your cooperation. We ask that this be kept quiet until I can officially retire from Starfleet. It's long been the Commander's desire to serve aboard this ship, but for various reasons, she never was able to accomplish her wish. We want her to feel welcome, which I believe she already does, but we also felt that the mounting speculation and rumor mills need to stop. You don't need to know all the details of when and where and why, you just need to know that the Vice Admiral and I are her biological parents. Any questions and/or comments?"

Chakotay watched his senior officers glance around the table at each other. All were processing this information and he knew they would continue to speculate on when and how it all happened. But something shocking, and unexpected happened, he saw them all, except for Tuvok naturally, broke out in to big smiles, and it was Tom who finally broke the silence.

"It's about dang time the two of you finally got together. I mean granted it was ever how many years ago, but it was about time because all that tension while in the Delta Quadrant, it was almost too much at times. God knows what the two of you did on New Earth, but it's good to know that something productive and ultimately wonderful came from our time trapped in the Delta Quadrant."

Kate's eyebrow shot up as she was a little surprised by Paris' bold comments as she realized that rather than him just merely accepting the fact that she was Chakotay's daughter, Paris and company were likely about to turn this into an escapade about Kathryn and Chakotay. Her mother, the Vice Admiral, was seated beside Paris, although with the way their chairs were angled, she was practically behind him. He never saw the whack to the back of his head that she gave him. It wasn't a hard smack, but nonetheless, it jolted his attention, and likely that of everyone else's in the room. Kate's mouth fell slightly open at the reaction of her mother.

"Ouch!" Paris protested.

At that moment the senior crew of  _Voyager_  didn't know if the Vice Admiral was joking or if she was serious. The reaction even put Chakotay a little on edge, as well.

"That, Mr. Paris," Kathryn began, "was long overdue. You have always been the curious and nosey one. You know I did not get pregnant while on New Earth and what may or may not have transpired there is none of your concern. Obviously, Chakotay and I did have a brief relationship prior to our return to the Alpha Quadrant that resulted in the shock of my life. That's all the information you need to know about. But, while we're on the topic, Mr. Paris, any bets that you, B'Elanna, Harry, Neelix, the Doctor and anyone else made concerning not only Kate's paternity but mine and Chakotay's relations over the seven years in the Delta Quadrant, all the earnings or whatever reward you were supposed to receive in return, those need to be turned over to the Commander, as she is the one who cashes in on all of this nonsense. And that is an order, understood?"

Tom's mouth fell wide-open. He had been caught. How had she known about the bets? Chakotay raised an eyebrow at Tom's reaction.

"Lt. Paris, I strongly recommend that you adhere to the order that the Vice Admiral gave you because I would hate to know what punishment she would inflict upon you."

B'Elanna couldn't help herself, "So, wait, are you two officially together? Like as an item – dating and such?"

Kate herself was curious as to the answer to this one. She had noticed they had been spending more time together, but they never had actually spent the night together, at least not that she was aware of. They'd shared dinners or taken adventures on the holodeck together, but she wasn't sure if that was just Chakotay trying to help Kathryn decipher her life, if they were just spending time together and catching up for the lost years or if there truly was a relationship blossoming. Kate glanced up and caught as Chakotay shot a glance towards Kathryn. She watched his expressions intently and while she could see a mixture of emotions, his eyes held a message that almost conveyed a longing wish or desire.

Chakotay stared at Kathryn for a few seconds carefully monitoring her reaction. She gave little to no reaction to B'Elanna's questions, so Chakotay decided he would answer.

"No, B'Elanna, we are not together. She's the Vice Admiral and I'm the Captain, that's it. We are friends and while we may share dinners together and visit the holodeck and such, that is the extent of our friendship."

B'Elanna couldn't help but notice the expression of curiosity and hope suddenly vanish from the Commander's face. Was that sadness that suddenly crept upon her atypically happy face? B'Elanna thought to herself.

"Oh come on, you two," it was Tom again. "If you two are blind to the attraction that you share for each other, then God help us all. You've been staring and ogling each other for years. You obviously found one time at least where you gave in to your desires and it produced an absolutely gorgeous daughter, sorry if I crossed the line there, Commander. But you two keep dancing around something that the entire crew has wanted for the two of you for years."

Chakotay could tell Kathryn was about ready to whack Tom again and he shook his head at her instructing her to let it go. The rest of the senior crew started rumbling and making comments towards each other. Chakotay held up his hands and they all stopped and gave him their full attention.

"Enough!" he boldly proclaimed with such a furor that it slightly made Kate jump from her seat. "This meeting is not to discuss the relationship status of myself and the Vice Admiral, myself with anyone or the Vice Admiral's relationship with anyone. Whatever may be your wishes and desires may not be the desires and wishes of others," he paused as he caught B'Elanna roll her eyes. "Lt. Torres, care to share?"

She made a sound of disgust and retorted, "Throw me in the brig if you want, Chakotay, but I just wish the two of you would cut the crap and stop all these shenanigans. What Tom said is right. We've all seen and known for years the moments that the two of you have shared. But you're both two of the most stubborn people that I have ever met. You, Admiral, have allowed God awful Starfleet protocol to keep you from this gem of a man. And you, Chakotay, you have had the power in your hands to sweep her off her feet, quite literally, but you were too scared of her. Heaven's almighty, you two have a child together. Again, I agree with Tom, in that you have a daughter who is one of the most gorgeous human beings that I have ever seen. You two created a beautiful child, and what about her wishes and desires for the two of you? You and the Admiral both deserve to be happy, and Chakotay, we all know who makes you happiest."

He placed his palms firmly down on the table, he didn't quite slam them down, but it was close enough because Kathryn could feel the vibration rocket across the table.

"This meeting is adjourned! Commander, you have the bridge," Chakotay spat as he stormed out of the conference room and headed down the hallway.

The senior crew sat there staring amongst themselves and at the Vice Admiral for a few moments. No one had anything to say because they had never quite seen Chakotay so infuriated, even Kathryn was caught off-guard by his reaction. B'Elanna knew he could have an extreme temper from when she had served with him on the Maquis ship, but this might have been worse than anything she had witnessed. Eventually, Kate stood and walked out of the conference room and took her seat on the bridge. As B'Elanna exited the conference room, she couldn't help but catch eyes with Kate. In that look, B'Elanna saw a mixture of emotions from her Commander. Kate eventually glanced down at the console in the middle of the captain and commander's seats. She had a message at her station from Chakotay instructing her to have Mr. Paris lay in a course for their destination. Just as she was about to order Tom to lay in the course, Kathryn took a seat beside her in Chakotay's chair – the Captain's chair. Kate momentarily froze because this was highly out of protocol and character for her. Kathryn glanced towards her and simply nodded her head.

"Lt. Commander Paris," Kate stated, "Please lay in a course to the far reaches of the Alpha Quadrant, I transmitted the exact coordinates to the helm. Warp seven," she paused as she watched him plug in the coordinates. "Engage," she firmly stated as she felt the ship slip in to gear and set sail to its destination.

She sat in silence for a few moments because should Chakotay walk through the door and find the Vice Admiral in his seat, Kate feared how he may react as angry as he had gotten during that meeting. She'd never seen him so upset. The Vice Admiral finally glanced in her direction and Kate couldn't read the look in her eyes.

"Just what are you doing?" Kate whispered under her breath, which caused Kathryn to raise an eyebrow in return. "This is NOT one of your Starfleet requirements, and if he comes back in here as mad as he was when he left, I'm not taking the fall for your taking back your chair."

Kathryn couldn't help but smile at her daughter. She studied her for a few more brief moments before slowly standing up and moving directly in front of her daughter's seat. She touched her cheek and bent down and whispered in her ear.

"Are you siding with the rest of the crew in wishing that the two of us would get together?"

Kate stoically stood up, closing the distance between her mother and herself. Kate knew that the bridge crew were likely wondering what was about to transpire, so she looked square in her mother's eyes before whispering back.

"I did not participate in any sort of speculation upon your relationship with Chakotay. While I may have desires and wishes of my own, that is my business and mine alone. I know what does and does not go on onboard this ship, and I know the two of you haven't slept together. Not yet at least."

She watched as her mother's eyes slightly widened. She had completely caught the fierce Vice Admiral off-guard. It wasn't a speculation. Kate did have an ability to sense things, and she knew she had been right. But the Admiral was completely aghast.

"How did you…" she paused as the doors to the turbolift opened and Chakotay strolled out and down to where the two of them were standing mere inches apart.

"Are we about to have a catfight on the bridge?" he questioned with an utterly blunt tone. Tom turned his chair slightly to see what was transpiring out of the corner of his eyes.

"Of course not, Captain," the Vice Admiral replied. "I was just complimenting the Commander on her command skills."

Chakotay knew Kathryn was lying. He could always tell when she was lying, but he let her slide this time. Just as he was about to take his seat,  _Voyager_  shook violently and rolled to one side. It felt like they had hit something. The force of the blow was so severe that Chakotay, Kathryn and Kate all went airborne across the bridge before landing in various places. In unison, all of three of them barked, "Report!" as they all scrambled to get back on to their feet.

Harry Kim was the first to respond, "Sir, I'm not sure what happened but we are losing power, life support, everything is draining."

"Did we hit something?" Chakotay questioned.

"Sensors are not detecting any ships or any sort of space debris or anything."

"Janeway to Engineering," Kate stated while tapping her comm badge.

"Torres here."

"B'Elanna, status report?"

"Warp drive is completely off-line. We are working to restore at least partial power to our engines."

B'Elanna was cut off as a series of alarms started going off ship wide – alarms that had never been heard before, at least not by anyone but Kate.

Chakotay and Kathryn saw Kate's expression immediately change, and they knew she knew what these alarms were for. They likely knew too because of their training but the way she responded, it was a response of someone who had been in this predicament before.

Prior to their inquiry, Torres shouted over the communication system, "Captain, Commander, we have a major problem!"


	9. Chapter 9

_(It may be awhile before I can post any further chapters as I am going on a break vacation. So, I decided to go ahead and share another chapter earlier in the week to enjoy while I am gone! Many thanks for all the wonderful comments and thank you for reading!)_

Chakotay and Kate watched as the expressions on Tom and Harry's faces looked glim. Even Tuvok, a Vulcan who shows no emotion, suddenly had a strange expression on his face. The Vice Admiral had made her way over to Harry's station.

"Mr. Kim, please tell me that I am reading this incorrectly."

"No, ma'am, unfortunately you aren't. Captain, we have a tear in the outer surface of  _Voyager_  just underneath the main portion of the shield not far up from the deflector dish. The tear is reported deep and it has penetrated the interior hull of the ship. It's causing all sorts of issues. We may likely need to evacuate a large portion of the ship because exposure to the elements of outer space could be quite hazardous."

Chakotay glanced at Kate who nodded furiously before activating the ship-wide communication system.

"This is Commander Janeway. Any personnel on decks four through eight, please began evacuation procedures to a safer deck until further notice. All crew members report to active duty immediately," she ended communication.

Keeping communication open between the bridge and engineering, Chakotay asked, "Options to repair?"

Torres was still listening from Engineering. "Let me get back to you on…" she was cut off by Kate.

"There's only one repair method and that's to send someone outside to put a temporary patch on the opening. If it isn't closed from the outside, it will cause life support to completely crash and an utter hull-breech. Repair crews will additionally have to likely be dispatched to the location of the ship internally where the damage was done. But it will have to be determined after the exterior view. "

"Torres" Chakotay ordered. "Get the necessary supplies ready."

"Captain," B'Elanna interrupted, "We don't have anyone with experience who has done this type of maneuver before."

"Yes, we do," Kate interrupted causing the heads of every single bridge officer, including her mother's to snap to attention. "Me."

Chakotay's eyebrows raised and a look of surprise appeared across his face. "My ready room, now," he ordered to Kate. "Torres, get all the supplies ready and wait for further instructions."

As Kate and Chakotay headed across the bridge towards his ready room, he saw that Kathryn had started to head in that direction, too. "No," he stated and stopped her dead in her tracks.

As soon as they entered his ready room, Kate gave him a look and said, "You're gonna have hell to pay for that."

He shook his head, "Don't worry about her, I'll deal with that later. Tell me about your experience with outer hull repair?"

"Quizzing me to see if I'm qualified? Fine, I don't blame you, I'd do the same thing. When we were on the  _Excalibur_ , we had a tear in the heat shield. I went outside and repaired it solo. Additionally, when I served on the  _Patriot_ , I also performed an outside repair when we hit debris from an asteroid that left a substantial tear in the side of the ship. I'm the best you've got, Captain. This one is going to be trickier since it is practically on the belly of the ship. More than likely, they'll have to attach me to the beam, I don't know what you all call it on  _Voyager_ , and then they'll have to drive me out in to position and flip me upside down. I'm well aware of the risks due to the cold temperatures, the risks of the suit tearing and all the other extremely hazardous things that could happen. I'll obviously be in a protective space suit with state-of-the-art technology that can monitor all of my bodily functions.

"It'll likely be a tricky repair, but if we can at least get it patched, we should be able to power back up and get to DS9 at a low impulse where their crews can fully repair. The mission to obtain the reserves may likely have to wait until another time unless I'm able to repair it that well. Chakotay, I'm fully aware that the Admiral is going to protest, but I will not let her deter me from this. You all came and rescued me, it's time you let me help rescue and save  _Voyager_. It's the least I can do, and all personal feelings and emotions have to be set aside. Let B'Elanna, Tom and Harry lead the charge. You and the Admiral can monitor my progress from the viewport as I can attach a camera so you can watch."

Chakotay was pacing and Kate knew he was debating this. "Look, I know you're worried, but this is where you have to don your two roles – Captain versus Father. I know you're scared something will happen, but you have to have faith in me. Right now, the crew is more important. If you lose one life and save the entire crew, you have done your duty. Please, Edoda, let me do this."

He turned and stopped directly in front of her. "You're right. I'm scared, I'm worried about all of the above. I just met my darling daughter, and I'm worried about your safety. But, you're right. You're the only one we have qualified and experienced to perform this maneuver and task. I trust you implicitly and know that you will get the task done, but at the first sign that I see anything going wrong with your levels, I'm having them pull you back inside immediately."

She shook her head, "No, make an agreement with me right now. I will only come in when I have finished the task. If something major goes wrong, you ask me first and it is my decision to stay outside. I am 100% well aware of all the things that could go wrong, and should that happen, I know that. I am not scared. I am not apprehensive. I am willing to do this no matter the cost. Should something happen, I take full responsibility. Don't dare let her blame you for any of this, understood?"

He laughed, "I didn't know I took orders from the First Officer, but yes, ma'am. We'll do it your way."

As she turned to head towards the door of his ready room, he stopped her. He wrapped his arms around her and held her for a brief second. She chuckled against his chest. "I'm not sure this is Starfleet protocol, Captain."

"Hush, Commander," he joked while pulling her back from him. He stared deep into her blue eyes, which reminded him so much of Kathryn's. He studied her eyes intently for a few moments, and he saw no sign of fear or apprehension. He only saw determination and confidence of a young woman who was ready for the task at hand. "Thank you for doing this, and no matter what, always remember, I love you."

She kissed him on the cheek. "I love you, too. Now, let's get down to the fall-out room so I can get suited up, and I strongly recommend, you let the Admiral join you for this one."

As the doors to his ready room slid open, Chakotay nearly knocked over a fuming Kathryn who had been pacing outside of his ready room doors. She glared up at him and her daughter, but neither of them addressed the glare.

"Admiral, Lieutenant's Kim and Paris, join us in the fall-out room. Mr. Tuvok, you have the bridge. Chakotay to Torres, we're on our way."

"Aye, Captain," B'Elanna replied from the fall-out room where she was inspecting all the equipment and running a final test on the machines, including the exterior spacesuit that Kate would be wearing.

"Chakotay to the Doctor."

"Go ahead, Captain," he replied.

"Please meet us in the fall-out room, immediately."

"Aye, Captain, I am on the way."

As the five of them stepped into the turbolift, Chakotay could feel the daggers from Kathryn as she was boring a hole through his body just by the glare from her eyes. He was about to say something before Kate interjected.

"The tension is so thick in this turbolift, I could cut it with some of Neelix' crazy foods. By the way, Admiral, you can drop your death glare because this is my sole decision to perform this maneuver. Any and all responsibilities for this task rests completely upon my shoulders.  _Voyager_  saved my life, and it is my turn to save  _Voyager's_  life. So, let it go."

The message was loud and clear. In the back of the turbolift, Tom and Harry glanced briefly at each other. Kate intended that message directly at her mother to back off her father and not blame him for any of it. Yet, Kate and Chakotay both knew, that no matter what happened, the Vice Admiral was going to eventually have the last word and let them have a piece of her mind. She would hold them both responsible, that they knew and anticipated.

A few minutes later they all had arrived in the fall-out room. The Doctor began hooking up several monitors to Kate to keep a check on her levels – heartbeat, oxygen, temperature, etc. Tom and Harry were setting up the beam that she would be attached to the end of, as a direct site-to-site transport would not work in this situation. B'Elanna and her crew had already assembled the workstation that would be attached to a separate beam that would be beside of the Commander for her to keep her equipment on. A shuttle had been dispatched to oversee the situation from outside and perform some type of rescue mission should the Commander become detached from the beam. B'Elanna assisted Kate in getting into her spacesuit inspecting every single inch that insulated her to the fullest capacity. Prior to putting the helmet on, Kate signaled for her mother to step towards her. The crew backed away for a brief moment to let the two of them have some space.

"I'll be fine," Kate stated. "I've done this on two other occasions. Granted neither was quite as challenging as this likely will be, but I'm fully up to the task. I'm sorry I was harsh earlier, but you are not to blame him for anything that goes wrong. Do you understand? This was fully my decision."

The Vice Admiral reached out and cupped her daughter's face and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Shoot, I forgot to pull my hair back," Kate exclaimed.

Kathryn couldn't help but smile. "See, you did need your mother's assistance after all," she replied while stepping around behind her daughter. Kate squatted down some so Kathryn could reach her better. Fortunately, she had a hairband and she delicately pulled her daughter's hair back and away from her eyes to prevent anything from falling in her face as there was no way she could open the shield to pull the hair from her own eyes while out in space. As she was carefully putting her daughter's hair in to place, Kathryn couldn't help but notice the chain from the necklace that Kate still wore. She wanted to make a comment about it, but she continued fixing her hair. Once she finished she stepped back in front of her and gave her a kiss on her cheek, which brought on a few "awe's" from the crew, proceeded by a glare from their former Captain.

In a bear whisper, Kathryn stated, "I see you're wearing the necklace, so always remember that I'm with you. I know you won't be able to touch it, but I'll be right there with you. I love you, sweetheart, but please be careful, and above all else, thank you."

Kate fought hard to keep the tears out of her eyes, as for once in her life her mother had dropped her Vice Admiral mask altogether and had a true heart-to-heart moment with her. It was emotional, but Kate's gut suspected it might not last, but for now, she was grateful for the moment. She simply nodded her head and replied, "I love you, too, Mom."

Knowing they couldn't continue to waste precious little time, Kate turned her attention back to B'Elanna who finished suiting her up and hooked up all the oxygen and other tubes that would keep her alive while out in the elements. Once finished, Kate took her position on the end of the beam as B'Elanna and her crew strapped her in to place. She would be strapped to the very end of the beam and would be extended as far out as she could before she was eventually rotated and flipped upside down and moved to the under belly of the ship. The task of driving the arm would all be up to Tom Paris, who as much of a practical jokester as he was, the Commander knew she implicitly trusted his piloting skills.

As the extension of the beam began, Kate took one last glance back and saw Kathryn standing beside of Chakotay, but what she noticed most, aside from the utter look of concern etched on both their faces, was how Kathryn was holding on to his arm almost as if he were supporting her. Kate couldn't help but smile as it was a moment she cherished seeing. The concern for their child, but ultimately the love and care they still exhibited for each other – the crew were right, they couldn't deny it. The embers of a dying flame still hadn't been extinguished. No matter what she was about to face on the underside of  _Voyager_ , she would let that visual remain with her and know that their lives were one reason she was performing this risky operation.

As the doors to the outside of the ship opened and Kate disappeared into the blackness outside, B'Elanna turned toward where Chakotay and Kathryn stood. She also noticed how the Vice Admiral was holding on to him for support. B'Elanna faintly smiled as she knew deep down they were both worried, but she had work to do.

"Captain, Admiral, I don't mean to be rude, but my team and I have work to do. We need all the space we can get for this task. I've sent instructions to Tuvok for how he can transition the view screen on the bridge so you can monitor everything from there. We can also keep an open communication line on the bridge, so you can hear everything that's being said, as well as communicate with the Commander should you need to."

Chakotay smirked because B'Elanna hadn't asked them to leave but she made it very clear that they needed to get out.

"Thanks, B'Elanna. I'm returning to the bridge and will monitor everything from there. I'll weigh in on any necessary changes and adjustments that may or may not need my approval. It's all in the Commander's hands at this point."

B'Elanna could see the concern in his eyes and she gave him a slight nod of the head. "She'll be fine, Chakotay. If she's as strong and stubborn as the two of you are, she'll have everything fixed in no time."

Chakotay nodded at Kathryn and motioned for her to go with him. She hesitated and he placed his hand in the small of her back leading her towards the turbolift, where they rode in silence back to the bridge. During their ride on the turbolift, Kathryn reached over and took hold of Chakotay's hand. He gently squeezed her hand and rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand. He knew this was Kathryn the Mother worrying over her child. It was not Kathryn the Vice Admiral that might likely chew him out later. In that moment, he glanced at her, and the look in her eyes conveyed an array of emotions. He didn't say anything but the look they shared while in the turbolift spoke volumes about the care that still existed between the two of them.

When they arrived back on the bridge, the view screen had been changed to a variety of camera angles monitoring the Commander as she was moved out and in to position. She would examine the damage to the ship and then they would work on lowering her equipment to her after she completed her initial assessment. Chakotay nodded for Kathryn to sit in his captain's seat but she shook her head and took the commander's chair instead. It seemed a little odd for her to be seated to his left rather than his right where he'd been so accustomed all these years, but nonetheless, he was glad she was on the bridge with him instead of pacing in her quarters. They listened to the communication between Kate, B'Elanna, Tom and Harry as she instructed them where to position her and what all she was seeing along the way. Chakotay couldn't help but inwardly smile because Kate had been right, she knew exactly what she was doing and she was the only one they could count on to do this.

"Oh boy!" they all heard Kate exclaim as she rounded beneath the belly of  _Voyager_. Had the tear been to the top of  _Voyager_ , they could have easily transported her outside rather than having to utilize the beam. But since the opening was on the belly, there was no way she could physically walk upside down and do the repair. "B'Elanna, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Commander, and we see the tear now. Is that as large as what we are seeing on the camera?"

"It's not likely as big as what it appears on the camera, but it is pretty large hole in the belly of the ship. B'Elanna, I would actually recommend having a crew go down to the lower decks and go inside of the Jefferies tubes to ensure that there is no damage to the inside of the ship. It doesn't look like it has been a complete penetration of the interior hull, but a crew on the scene would better be able to determine that. I'm not sure based on the location of the tear why it would have affected the actual propulsion of the ship, but likely the tear and impact forced the stop to ensure no further damage would occur nor cause the hole to widen. I'm thinking this is just a tear to the exterior hull, which I should be able to easily repair, but we definitely want to ensure there has been no interior damage done. Life support could be critical at this point for those lower desks should any spacial gasses get in to those areas."

"Acknowledged, Commander. I'll send a crew or two down immediately and let you know what they report back."

Over the course of the following hours, Chakotay and Kathryn sat silently on the bridge watching the screen with fascination. They watched as Kate maneuvered herself into a variety of positions providing better angles of the tear and repairs needed. When she began the repair, it was almost as if she'd done this on a regular basis. The way she performed was like a surgeon in an operating room. Chakotay muted their communication as he leaned over towards Kathryn.

"You trained her well. Sending her on the  _Excalibur_  may not have been a bad decision after all, Kathryn. Had she not had to do a repair on that ship and on the  _Patriot_ , she may not have been as adept in doing what she's doing now. She's impressive to say the least, and she gets that sheer determination and drive from her mother."

Kathryn glanced over towards him. She couldn't help but smile at him. In some ways, he was accepting her apology for sending Kate on the death mission to  _Excalibur_. She realized he didn't blame her any longer and it was humbling and gratifying.

She replied, "Actually, she gets this from her father because as her mother, I can guarantee you I would not have the patience to do what she's doing. I would want to fix everything immediately. I wouldn't have the time to do the manual assessment, let alone wait for the interior crews to report their findings. She's using her true Native American heritage that she received from her father to keep her adept and surviving."

"Pacing yourself never was one of your strong suits, Kathryn, as I certainly remember that time on the holodeck when…well, you know where I'm going with that," he drawled with a hint of seduction and sarcasm within his voice. "Oh, and well, she can't be just either patterned after you or me only because it does take two to tango, Admiral, and God knows we can tango!" he added with a smirk on his face.

Kathryn's mouth fell wide-open as Chakotay had never been so bold and brazen on the bridge. She suspected he was doing it to distract her mind and stop her from worrying about Kate, which it certainly was doing that amongst other things.

Finally, she summoned enough brain cells to formulate a reply, "I'll remember that Captain because when she finishes, I'll host a celebration on the holodeck and may just let you get the opportunity to show me how you can…" and she stopped mid-sentence as Neelix appeared on the bridge carrying a cart of food.

He approached the Captain and Admiral and smiled. "I knew you two wouldn't tear yourselves away from the screen, so I decided to bring you some food."

"Sure wish I could have something to eat out here," came a deadpan reply from Kate over the speakers.

Kathryn whirled her head around and opened her eyes wide at Chakotay wondering just how much Kate and the rest of the crew had heard of their discussion. When they both turned their heads back to the view screen, Kate was staring straight into the camera and had a big smile on her face and when she added a wink, Kathryn's heart sank.

"Neelix, I just can't eat," Kathryn began to protest, "Not with Kate, I mean the Commander, outside. It's not fair for me to eat knowing that she's probably starving, too."

Kate pulled back and looked directly in the camera pointing one of her equipment pieces. "I don't have the power to order you to eat, Admiral, since I'm just a Commander, but as your daughter, you better eat something because I'm not about to be visiting you in sickbay for starvation. Plus, I've got a nourishment tank hooked to this swanky spacesuit, so I'm being fed on occasion. And, for what it's worth, I'll hold you to that party on the holodeck as I'd certainly love to see the two of you do the Tango or the Waltz or whatever else tickles your fancy."

Kathryn's eyes about bugged out of her head. Chakotay watched the lower camera which was focused on the fall-out room, where he could see Tom, Harry and B'Elanna exchange a confused look. Tom finally spoke up, "What party, Commander? Did we miss out on something?"

Again, Kate winked at the camera and then she went back to her repairs while continuing to talk, "Apparently, the Captain and Admiral muted their communication for the fall-out room but failed to mute it in my ear piece. I assumed they must have been talking about a surprise party, but I'll just pretend I didn't hear anything that I overheard."

She cut one final look at the camera before refocusing her sole attention on her repair work.

Chakotay bolted over to the console and sure enough when he had leaned across to whisper to Kathryn, he had inadvertently unmuted the communication directly to Kate's headset but muted it from everyone else. She had heard every single thing that the two of them had said. Kathryn turned to face him with a death glare on her face, but even he wasn't fazed by the glare as he broke out in to a sideways smirk that nearly matched the one they had just seen from Kate through the view screen.

Time seemed to progress slowly, but they were all glued to the screens as the progress of the repairs was going very successfully. Tuvok monitored the systems of the ship and slowly started to see them all return to normal levels. Kate indicated that she needed about five more minutes and the patchwork should be complete. Kathryn had been seated for what seemed like hours staring straight ahead at the screen. She took the opportunity to stand up and walk around the bridge. Chakotay couldn't help but watch her and wonder what was going on inside her brain.

"Admiral, can I talk to you for a moment in my ready room?" he asked.

She simply nodded her head and turned to follow him towards his ready room. They were mere centimeters from the doors leading towards his ready room when a loud alarm went off that sent a deafening noise over the speakers. Kathryn and Chakotay froze and slowly turned on their heels. On the view screen, they noticed the sudden scurrying of those within the fall-out room, the look of concern etched upon their faces, even Tuvok had a semi-grim expression. Neelix had just returned with more coffee and he stopped dead in his tracks staring ahead.

"Torres, report!" Chakotay barked while moving back to the center of the bridge.

"Commander, can you hear me?" they heard Torres asking.

"Yes, I can hear all of you loud and clear," Kate replied but Kathryn immediately noted that her breathing was different.

"Would someone tell me what is going on?" the Admiral practically spat out of her mouth.

She watched as Torres' looked directly into the camera and the look on her face was not a good sign.

"Captain, Admiral, the alarms are coming from the Commander's spacesuit. There appears to be a malfunction. Somewhere there is a leak and we've got to get her out of there now or …"

Torres was cut-off with a very strong, "NO!" which came from Kate who was staring straight in to the cameras. There was no fear in her eyes. Chakotay stared back at her, and while he knew she couldn't see him, she could feel him and he could feel her communicating directly to him. Kathryn glanced up at Chakotay and saw the faint nod of his head.

"Captain, just what was that for?" Kathryn questioned.

"Admiral, I knew the risk when I volunteered for this task. I am going to complete this task. The Captain and I have already discussed this. I need a few more minutes and I will be complete. Harry, Tom, you can go ahead and start pulling the equipment beam back, I've got the tools I need clipped to me. Once I've finished, you can pull me back in. But under no circumstances, Admiral, and I repeat NO circumstances is this in any way shape or form the Captain's fault. Should something happen to me, fine. It was 100% my choice and my decision. Do NOT place any blame on him or the rest of the crew."

Kate sent her message loud and clear. Her breathing had calmed and she returned her intent focus on the repair work at hand.

"Katie," Chakotay called her, which caused Kathryn's head to practically spin off her head because no one ever dared call her Katie unless she had told them they could and Kathryn was not aware of her letting anyone on  _Voyager_  in on that secret yet. She glanced back to the view screen to see a beautiful smile wash over her daughter's face. "How much more time do you need? Torres, how much longer can she endure the elements?"

"I need three minutes, five minutes maximum," Kate replied.

"Captain," B'Elanna began and he could hear the hesitation in her voice. "Three minutes will be an extreme risk as the levels on her suit are dropping drastically; five minutes will be lethal – there's no way she'll survive for five more minutes."

Chakotay could see that Kathryn was about to bolt from the bridge and he knew this was killing her not to be able to order them to do anything, which in reality she could since she was an Admiral and outranked them all. She was about to open her mouth to protest but he cut her off.

"B'Elanna, monitor her closely, if the levels start declining any more rapidly, speak up. Kate, you've got three minutes, if those levels drop faster, I'm pulling you out of there period."

She simply nodded her head.

"Bridge to the Doctor."

"Sickbay here, Captain."

"Doctor, get a medical emergency team to the fall-out room, I'm sure you are aware of the situation, we may have a medical emergency on us."

"Aye, Captain."

Concern and silence engulfed the entire ship. Were they possibly going to watch their First Officer die before their own eyes? Kathryn was frozen like a statue. Chakotay couldn't even tell if she was breathing. He knew she was worried, but he ultimately knew she was mad, beyond mad. He would receive the wrath from his decision later for leaving her, their daughter, outside. Would she have done the same? That was something he didn't know how she would answer. But it was clearly evident that the battle between the Mother Kathryn and the Admiral Kathryn was raging at this very moment. The wrath of Kahn wouldn't come close to matching what he knew was about to explode out of her.

"Could someone please talk or say something? This silence is deafening. Someone talk to me, keep me awake," Kate stated from outside.

They all heard the ever so slight crack in her voice, and to say it broke Kathryn's heart would have been an understatement. She decided she was going to do something that she never did before – she was going to be Kathryn in front of the entire crew.

"Sweetheart, what would you like to talk about? Why don't you tell us a story from your childhood, if you keep talking, it'll cause you to stay awake and not drift off. I know you're beyond tough, I've seen you compete when you were in the Academy. If you don't want to talk, then tell us what you'd like for us to talk about."

Kate coughed, which she had not previously done. "I don't feel like talking. I'm trying to concentrate, but it's pretty dark out here and kind of lonely. I just like hearing voices. Even if all of you chatter at once, I'm fine with that. Better yet, why don't you guys sing or tell me some jokes."

Neelix jumped in and he started telling some stories and they could tell Kate was trying to laugh and pay attention, but everyone couldn't help but notice the beeping sounds as they intensified on the monitors down in the fall-out room.

"Chakotay," B'Elanna stated, which he knew indicated trouble. "I think you need to get down here now, and you better bring the Admiral with you."

"Neelix keep talking to her. We're on our way, B'Elanna," Chakotay stated while literally grabbing Kathryn by the hand and pulling her towards the turbolift.

Chakotay could tell Kathryn was fighting for control – the Admiral wanted to rage while the Mother was in near panic for fear of what may transpire with her child. In the turbolift, Kathryn collapsed against Chakotay's chest. "I can't lose her, Chakotay. It will absolutely kill me."

Holding her close to his chest he whispered to her, "Shh, you don't have to worry about that, Kathryn. You and I both know how physically tough she is, but beyond that she is mentally tough. She will fight through whatever happens, I promise."

They separated as the doors of the turbolift opened and they rushed out to the fall-out room which was beyond crowded with crew members all anxious and preparing for the worst. The exterior doors had opened and the beam carrying the equipment was making its slow return in to the bay doors. They immediately glanced at the monitors and could hear Neelix continuing to talk. The camera had turned towards her hands and they saw she had one last piece to situate to the outer hull. Once that was secured, she would be done.

"Chakotay," B'Elanna whispered out of communication range. "I can't tell you right now the status because that final alarm is alerting us that her suit is going to fail. She is going to freeze to death if we don't pull her in. Neelix is still talking to her, but she's not uttered a thing, not even a sound. She moved the camera from her face to her hands and I can see she's still feverishly working although I don't know how. By all accounts, she shouldn't even be able to move, Chakotay. She's got some tough will-power or a stubborn streak that makes a Klingon look pathetic."

Chakotay weighed the decision heavily over whether to pull her in immediately or let her finish. He knew the risk was insurmountable.

"Commander, can you hear me?" Chakotay stated and received no response. "Kate, I can see you are still working as you've moved the camera angle. I'm pulling you in now."

"No, five seconds, Chakotay. As soon as this melds, I'll be done." Her voice was nearly gone. It was taking all her strength to talk and in that instance, he knew why she wasn't talking because she was conserving her strength.

"Kate, I know you're conserving energy by not talking. But I need to know when you are done. I've got a rabid Admiral back here who's ready to attack the whole ship or even demote me back to Ensign if I don't pull you in. The Captain in me is also screaming to pull you back in now. Give me a sign whether it's a thumbs up or a noise to let me know when you are set, okay? If I don't hear in five seconds, you're coming in. My people, well our people, have the saying that 'even the eagle knows when to sleep'. You've done more than any of us could have ever asked for and if you can't finish, it'll be fine."

Slowly, the camera spun its way back around and they noticed she smirked in return though it look like it killed her to do so. "Your father also said when he was ready for something he'd don his hat and say 'let's go' so, Captain, let's go, I'm done."

As soon as she said it the loudest possible of all alarms went off, which literally caused them all to jump.

"Captain, we've got a series of notifications going off. The ship has notified us that the breach has been sealed and we are systems go."

"And what the hell is that loud noise?" Kathryn demanded.

Harry and Tom didn't turn around, they were working feverishly and as carefully as possibly to extricate Kate and bring her back in. They couldn't do it fast because they couldn't risk her coming unattached from the beam plus they had to revert her right side up. Her return would take time, which wasn't the ultimate problem. B'Elanna exchanged a glance with the Doctor. Before Chakotay could stop her, Kathryn stormed up and got directly in to B'Elanna's face.

"Lieutenant, tell me exactly what that noise is and what is going on. That's an order."

B'Elanna briefly looked over at Chakotay and he nodded.

"Admiral, ma'am, Harry and Tom are moving her back in as we speak. They cannot simply pull a string and pull her back in because they can't risk her cables snapping and they've also got to slowly flip her back upright. The problem is that the last alarm notified us that her spacesuit has been breached and she's completely out of oxygen. Additionally, the medical monitors are not showing positive signs."

Kathryn's mouth was wide-open. She glanced between B'Elanna and the Doctor. Chakotay stepped up directly behind her and was ready to jerk her back should she overreact towards any of his crew.

"What- does-that-mean?" She paused in between each word. "Is she dead?"

B'Elanna looked at the Doctor as she didn't want to confirm anything.

"Captain, I mean Admiral," the Doctor corrected, "the medical monitors are still showing a faint heartbeat. Her pulse has dramatically dropped but she still has brain activity. In some ways she is basically unconscious, but what I am most concerned about is her body temperature as it is plummeting rapidly. When we get her back in, we will have to do an immediate transport to sickbay where we'll have to perform a number of tests. She's not dead, but she's not out of the woods yet either."

B'Elanna had donned half a spacesuit and was entering the opened bay doors area as Tom and Harry were hauling the Commander back in. Since the exterior doors remained open, she had to apply protective shielding to ward off the effects of space even though a force field did provide some additional protection. Shortly after she entered, the Doctor followed suit. Tom and Harry slowed the arm beam to a stop and the Doctor held the Commander upright in place as B'Elanna immediately went to work on unfastening all the hooks that held her in place. B'Elanna couldn't help but peer inside Kate's helmet and she saw her eyes were closed and no movement whatsoever. But she couldn't help but notice that her necklace, which likely had moved during the flip, was showing. As soon as she had the last hook unfastened, the Commander and the Doctor vanished from sight as the immediate site-to-site transport had taken place.

"Harry, Tom, when you finish here, go back to your duty stations and run a full diagnostic on the ship. B'Elanna, you do the same from engineering. I want to know that everything is in proper working conditions before we lay in a course for Deep Space Nine. I already had Mr. Tuvok send a message to the station letting them know of our damage and that our mission to obtain their reserves was on hold. As soon as you know more, let me know. Thank you all for your hard work."

They all nodded their heads but exchanged wary looks as they were all gravely worried about their Commander, their friend.

As Chakotay was giving his instructions to B'Elanna, Kathryn turned and headed straight towards the turbolift. Chakotay was soon hot on her heels in pursuit. Once inside the turbolift, he wasn't sure what she was going to say or do. Fortunately, she kept quiet, but she also kept a distance as they headed straight towards sickbay.

Upon entering the doors of sickbay, Kathryn halted to an abrupt stop, which practically caused Chakotay to nearly barrel into her from behind. The Doctor and his team we working feverishly to perform a variety of tests on Kate. Her spacesuit had been thrown into a pile in the far corner of sickbay. They were crowded around her table, but every so often, Kathryn and Chakotay could get a glimpse at her lifeless body as it lay on the bio bed. A wave of panic and nausea rushed through Kathryn's body unlike anything she had ever experienced in her entire life. Had Chakotay not been standing directly behind her, she felt certain she would have passed out on the spot.

The two of them continued to stare as the Doctor and his team worked on Kate. Kathryn took a few steps closer towards the bio bed to get a better understanding of the status. The Doctor knew they were there but he purposefully avoided talking to them as he needed to work on the Commander. But that didn't stop her from beginning her assault with questions.

"Doctor, is she okay? What's the status? Is she going to make it?"

The Doctor spun around and glared at the Admiral and the Captain. Kathryn took a few steps closer towards him wanting to reach out and touch her daughter but the Doctor stepped in her way.

"Admiral, I know you have questions, but I have work to do," he stated while turning back towards his patient.

Kathryn stepped one step closer and was practically grasping at the Doctor. "I need to know. I have to know. I order you to tell me."

The Doctor spun around so fast that he nearly hit the Admiral in the face with one of his medical instruments.

"Captain, if you would please remove yourself and the Admiral from sickbay. I understand your concern, but our team needs to focus and ensure that we do everything we can to save your daughter's life. As soon as I have an update, I'll notify you. Now leave!"

Kathryn was about ready to scream and launch an all-out assault on the Doctor, but Chakotay grabbed her biceps from behind and pulled her back against him. She started fussing as loud as she could and Chakotay finally put his hand over her mouth to muffle her. He had to half drag and half carry her out the doors of sickbay. Once they were outside the doors, he loosened his grip but she immediately tried to return to sickbay, but he grabbed her and stopped her.

"You are NOT going to go back in there until he allows us to. If you want Kate to survive, you will let the Doctor complete his exams and do everything in his power to save her. I know you're upset and quite frankly, I am too, but we have to remain calm for her. If she senses any apprehension or any discomfort, it will upset her, Kathryn, and you know that. I know you're her mother and you want to be there for her, but we have to give the medical team breathing room to save her. We've both been through rather hairy situations before, and we have to do what's necessary for her."

He stopped and watched as her face transformed from Kathryn to the Admiral in a matter of seconds. He'd been working with her for weeks to decipher between the two, and in seconds all their weeks of effort just faded as the Admiral was back and he knew she was getting ready to hurl all accusations and blame directly at him. The rage building inside of her was overwhelming and she couldn't hold back the wrath that came barreling out of her mouth. Chakotay still held a firm grip on her, which she tried to angrily shake away. She took a step closer to him but he maintained a relatively firm grip on her.

"This is all your fault, Chakotay!" she practically screamed directly in his face. "If she dies, I am placing blame 100% on you. You had the authority to override her and pull her in the first second that suit tore."

She was getting ready to escalate her war as Chakotay pushed her into a room just outside of the main doors to sickbay as he knew she was going to be vocal and they didn't need the entire crew of  _Voyager_  to get rattled because the Admiral and Captain were coming to blows.

"Let me go!" she hollered at him. "That's an order, Captain!"

"Shut up, Kathryn!" He had never told her that before, although there were some instances when he wished he had over the years, and he had never been quite so forceful with her, but this was the time he stood his ground and made his presence known.

"You're not passing blame on this to me, you or anyone else. Kate knew the risks when she volunteered for this mission. She and I had a private discussion in my ready room, and what was discussed there is strictly confidential. She and I both knew you would blame me for this, no matter what happened. You can blame me all you want, Admiral, but in the long run, I had no control over the spacesuit tearing. Could I have brought her in sooner? Sure, but she and I had a prior agreement. She's as stubborn as her mother and I know she will survive this. You on the other hand, I'm not so sure about. Put your Admiral hat on and keep it on, Kathryn, because it's obviously that persona who you care more about being. You care more about Starfleet and their damn protocols than you do about being the understanding, the rational, the caring Kathryn the Mother.

"When she first approached me about this, I said no, but it was Chakotay the father wanting to protect his daughter. But she kept after me to look at it from the Captain's view and not from the father's view. She was the only one capable of saving  _Voyager_. Risk one life or risk losing over 150 lives, which to choose? No, it's not an easy task, Admiral, but if you were in my shoes, you would have had to have made the same decision, and I know you would have made the same choice yourself. She's not going to die, but I will be damned if I'm standing here taking your accusations. You're still hurting from something you're not telling all of us about, and you've hurt me deeply and likely Kate, as well. It's time you come to grips with reality. You need to be strong and fight your own demons because if you don't, it's not just Kate that you'll lose. You'll lose your own self and me, as well."

With that he turned on his heels and stormed out of the room. Kathryn stood there completely stunned as he had never been so bold and brash with her. It was a different Chakotay and one that she was not used to seeing. She deserved everything that he had said to her, but she was too stubborn to admit it. She ached because she hurt him. She wanted nothing more than to reconcile and try to let him know about how she really felt about him all these years, but she didn't know how to stop the Admiral from raging within. And why? What was the point in letting the Admiral take control of the situation when she should have stayed the concerned and caring mother of Kathryn? She had hurt herself, she had likely hurt Kate and now she'd hurt Chakotay all the more. How could she ever fix this?

Chakotay stormed into engineering and practically knocked over B'Elanna Torres, who immediately knew something was wrong and knew it wasn't with the Commander.

"Whoa there, Maquis!" B'Elanna joked. "I know of only one person who gets you this uptight."

He glared his dark Native American eyes at her before B'Elanna pulled them off to the side to talk.

"Spill it, Chakotay. What's going on?"

He was fuming and she could practically see the smoke coming out of his nose.

"Of course she's donned her Admiral's hat and is blaming me for all of this. B'Elanna, you know damned well, I had no control over her spacesuit ripping. Kate told me under no conditions was I to pull her back in to this ship until she had completed the fix. She told me specifically that she knew the risks and if she were to die to save the life of the crew of  _Voyager_ , then she was willing to do that. I wanted desperately to pull her in at the first sign of the alarms going off but that communication sign she gave me indicated that I had to uphold my word even though she is my daughter. She made me promise that if it was her life versus 150 plus, then her life was not worth saving. It was worth saving the entire crew. She's right, B'Elanna, but Kathryn can't get it through her head. I didn't willingly sacrifice my own daughter's life, like Kathryn thinks. I wanted nothing more than to be out there myself doing the repair. I am just as scared as Kathryn is, but my God…"

He was pacing and B'Elanna knew he was a mixture of worry, anger and hurt.

"Chakotay, she would have done the same thing, but she's not thinking clearly. She's been thrown in to this situation. She's still pissed that you and Kate likely figured out Kate's identity and formed a relationship prior to her arrival. You went above her to get Kate appointed on this crew, which was the best decision made in a long time because she has been nothing but a huge asset to our team. So as the Admiral, she's mad that you're going above her and controlling her. But, Chakotay, I don't know if you know, but she came to visit me a few nights ago. It was Kathryn and I truly think working with her has helped. Seeing her, brought back so many emotions, I could see it all over her face. We talked about Kate and of course about you. She's in love with you, Chakotay, but she's too scared to admit it. She's consumed with how badly she's hurt you by hiding Kate's identity over the years and she feels you'll never get over that and forgive her.

"By all intents and purposes, I think she's scared. She lets the Admiral come out to protect herself from more hurt. I know you've loved her since the first time you laid your eyes on her. God knows what may or may not have transpired on New Earth, and while Tom, Harry, Neelix and I all love to place bets and make jokes about the situation, we care about the both of you. If you two were to get together, we would all be so thrilled for you, because it's so apparent how much you love her just as much as she loves you, but the two of you together are so stubborn you don't want to be the first to admit it. No wonder Kate is so strong and fierce because she's got the both of you flowing within her. We all know this is not your fault in any way shape or form, and deep down, Kathryn Janeway knows that, too. She's just lashing out over something that she's buried deep within her. Kate's going to be fine, Chakotay, and somehow you and Kathryn are going to have to come to grips with something before an all-out fist-fight breaks loose."

He couldn't help but hide his smirk. "Who do you think would win that, B'Elanna, or better yet, who is the money on in the poll?"

Her mouth dropped. "Dang it! We make it too obvious, huh?" she laughed and then added, "My money is on the Admiral."

He pouted like a sad puppy, "Gee thanks!"

She patted him on the arm and had a serious look on her face. "Give her time, Chakotay. None of us expected something crazy like this to happen, but Kate will need the both of you. Give the Admiral time. One of these days, she will have to come to her senses and if she doesn't, just know you have at least one magical and beautiful thing that came from her – you will always have little Kathryn."

Chakotay gave her a small hug. "Thanks, B'Elanna. I always know I can vent to you and you will always understand. Now, have you got that report ready?"

She smirked, "Yes, sir," she added while handing him a PADD. "It's all updated in here. Tom and Harry have gone back to the bridge but I still do have a few crew members in the fall-out room putting everything back in order, and a couple others down on the lower decks doing final inspections, which I will head down there shortly before giving the all-clear. All things considered, Chakotay, this was a very, very successful repair mission. She did such an outstanding job with the repair, we should be all systems go to continue on to the outer limits to retrieve the supplies for DS9."

He nodded his head as glanced over the report and headed out the door towards the bridge.


	10. Chapter 10

For the next few hours, Chakotay reviewed the reports of Harry, Tom, B'Elanna and Tuvok's in the course of the repair and made the decision to forego the stop at Deep Space Nine and proceed at a lower speed to retrieve the necessary resources for the station. While in his ready room, Chakotay had a very important thing he needed to take care of – he needed to contact Kate's fiancé to let him know that everything was okay should he receive any sort of feedback while stationed on DS9. Chakotay worked feverishly at his communication station before he was finally able to get a visual relay with one of the head crew members onboard DS9. He asked them to please help him get in contact with Dr. Michael Killarney. In a matter of seconds, a face appeared on Chakotay's screen. He quickly studied the individual knowing that this could possibly one day be his son-in-law. Putting all his questions about his life aside, Chakotay pressed forward.

"Dr. Michael Killarney, I presume?"

"Yes, I'm Dr. Killarney or just Michael, please."

"I'm Captain Chakotay of the  _USS Voyager_."

Michael smiled, "I've heard a lot about you, Captain."

Chakotay smiled, "All good things, I hope?"

Michael laughed a hearty laugh, which was entirely Irish to coincide with his thick accent. "But, of course, Katy wouldn't have anything but positive things to say about you. I'm not sure we can say that about her mother currently though. Sorry, Captain."

Chakotay knew he would like Michael almost immediately. "Chakotay, please, and yes, I completely understand about the Admiral. I'm currently in her crosshairs at this very moment."

"Ouch! Not a pleasant place to be, I know that for a fact. To what do I owe this please of speaking with you today?"

Chakotay's expression turned serious. "As you may or may not know,  _Voyager_  was dispatched on a mission to recover the reserves for DS9. While we were en route, we encountered large space debris of some sort, which caused a large tear to our exterior hull."

Michael nodded his head. "Let me guess, Katy volunteered to go out and repair the damage just as she's done on several other space missions?"

Chakotay nodded. "You're correct. The damage to our ship was critical. Had she not repaired it, there was a substantial chance that our ship would likely have sustained an utter hull breech. However, while she was finishing her repair work, something malfunctioned in her spacesuit. Eventually it led to a tear. She would not allow us to pull her in until she completed the repair to the ship. By the time we had pulled her in, her body temperature was extremely low. She wasn't breathing and was unconscious. She isn't dead, but the Doctor has locked myself and Kathryn out of sickbay while he works on her. I wanted to let you know personally as I know you are her fiancé and deserve to know."

Michael's expression never changed, which somewhat surprised Chakotay. "I appreciate you contacting me and letting me know. I can only imagine that you are having the blame laid on your shoulders, specifically by her mother. But, Chakotay, Katy knew the risk. She knew it each and every single time she's stepped outdoors on any of her space walks and repairs, which she has done more of than she will likely ever admit to you or the Admiral and more than is even recorded in her logs. She's always willing to sacrifice herself for the greater good, and that's a quality that not many people are willing to endure. If there's any way I could be routed through to sickbay, I'd like to conference with the Doctor."

Chakotay nodded his head and put him on hold while he contacted the Doctor, who initially did not want to be bothered but when he realized he could likely get some assistance and advice from another doctor, he jumped at the opportunity. Chakotay stayed in his ready room for a little while longer thinking over his conversation with Michael before finally deciding to head back to sickbay to see if there was any update on Kate.

Unbeknownst to him, Kathryn, who had been hidden away in her quarters sulking and pondering life, had the same decision to head to sickbay at the time he did. She arrived first and when she stepped in front of the doors, they refused to budge open.

"Computer, open doors to sickbay," she stated.

"Access denied."

"Computer, override restriction. Code Janeway Alpha 422."

"Access is denied."

She was about to drop a curse word when Chakotay rounded the corner. She jumped in front of him and practically slammed him in to the bulkhead.

"You did this, didn't you?" she barked at him with rage in her eyes.

He furrowed his eyebrows in complete confusion before questioning, "I did what, Admiral?"

"Locked me out of sickbay."

"What?" he asked while stepping around her and heading towards the doors himself where he also could not get the doors to open.

"Computer, override restriction using code Chakotay Omega Pi 434."

"That access code is denied."

"Bloody hell," he said quietly under his breath but it didn't escape Kathryn's ears. She kind of smirked at hearing him drop a curse word as it was highly out of character for him to do so.

He turned back to face the doors pondering whether he could forcibly open them, and just as he was about to consider that Kathryn started up again.

"Did you suggest to him to lock me out of sickbay? You have no right to block her mother out of sickbay. I deserve to know the status of my daughter…" she continued to rant but Chakotay had had enough.

He spun around and grabbed her by the arms and propelled her backwards against the other bulkhead. Her back rested against the actual bulkhead while he was pressed against her mere millimeters from crushing in to her body. If this had been any other type of situation, Kathryn would have been highly turned on by his forcefulness, but the look in his eyes did not betray the hunger that she had seen one other time. This time his eyes betrayed anger, frustration and a slight twinge of hurt and worry. He still held her firmly in his grasp and if any officer had come down the hall and seen them in such a situation, the rumor mill onboard  _Voyager_ would be flying at warp ten.

They stood there locking eyes and not saying a word for what seemed like minutes. Time seemed to stand still. Both of their breathing was slightly heavier than usual because of the anger and frustration that had been welling up inside of both of them. Just as they were both about to speak, and very likely have another argument again, the Doctor materialized beside of them.

"Would the two of you please quiet and calm down? If not, I'm recommending the both of you go visit the ship counsellor and receive some sort of treatment."

They were both initially startled at his materialization. Chakotay still had not let go of Kathryn, let alone backed away from his close proximity to her. The Doctor couldn't help but smirk at the predicament he had caught them in.

"It's not what it looks like," Chakotay responded while backing off from the Admiral.

The Doctor looked from Chakotay to Kathryn before replying, "I should hope not after the screaming and fussing I heard just a few moments ago. If it was what it could have been misconstrued for, well, then I would be highly con…"

Kathryn, who had been quieter for longer than Chakotay assumed, finally interrupted the babbling doctor. "Doctor, do you have an update?"

The Doctor stepped back a little from the Captain and the Admiral. "Yes, currently, we have the temperature of sickbay set at an all-time high in hopes of boosting her body temperature back to normal. The initial scans and tests we've done are showing no actual physical damage to her body. There are no signs of freeze or burns. Her brain waves look normal, but she's still in a comatose state, which I want her to remain in until her body temperature rises a little more. Thankfully, Captain, speaking with Dr. Killarney helped to add a few useful ideas that I had not considered," he paused as the Admiral raised her hand to interject.

Her eyebrows raised, she exclaimed, "You talked with Michael? I mean Dr. Killarney?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yes, ma'am. He was on conference with the Captain and he transferred him over to me. We had a good little chat about medical…" he was cut off as Kathryn spun on her heels so quickly that it caught both the Doctor and Chakotay by surprise.

"You talked to Michael?!" she practically shouted.

Chakotay couldn't help but roll his eyes and shake his head. "As Captain of this ship, I felt it was my duty to at least reach out to the Commander's fiancé to relay to him the situation. We were en route to collect reserves for DS9, so I didn't think it would be right for him to hear of her accident from the rumor mill on DS9. It was merely a courtesy that I did, and while I was talking to him, he asked to speak with the Doctor to get a medical opinion and provide some useful insight."

Fortunately, the Doctor jumped in before Kathryn could reply. "I think you did the right thing, Captain, as Dr. Killarney specializes in a variety of treatments related to similar situations as what the Commander is facing. He is one of the best medical doctors that Starfleet has."

Chakotay nodded his head in appreciation. "So, the short and sweet, Doc, is she going to be alright?"

The Doctor smiled, "The Commander is one of the toughest individuals that I've ever known. I honestly do not know how it is possible that she stayed outside with that tear in her suit and malfunction prior to the tear without having some degree of freeze burns or other physical injuries. She has none other than just getting her body temperature to return to normal. Obviously, the slower that takes it can cause other internal issues, but we are monitoring those closely. I have restricted access to sickbay as it is very, very hot in there and we have soaked her in warm baths, etc. I know the both of you are upset at my restricting access but it is for her protection and recovery. I know both of you are not only her senior officers but you are additionally her parents, but if the two of you continue to go at each other's throats in the manner in which are you doing, I will continue to restrict access to her. I'll notify the both of you when you are allowed in to sickbay. In the meantime, I suggest you both go get something to eat and attempt to calm yourselves down."

And with that, the Doctor disappeared back in to sickbay leaving Kathryn and Chakotay standing in the hallway. Kathryn, who was still a little rattled by Chakotay's earlier movements, glanced up at him and eyed him suspiciously. She knew she had been gravely out of line, but how to address that was an entirely different topic. She thought she heard him mumble something, but she couldn't make it out.

"What?" she asked trying to soften her voice.

"I just said I'm sorry," he replied quietly.

She glanced up at him and they held eye contact for a little while longer. She knew she was the one who needed to apologize, but she didn't even know how to bring herself to do such. After staring deep in to her soul and receiving no response, Chakotay turned on his heels and headed down the opposite hallway.

"Cha," she started to call out in barely a whisper. Whether he heard it or not, she didn't know as he never turned to glance back at her but instead pressed onward.

She retreated to her quarters where she did replicate some food before curling up with a book and her coffee. Try as she might, she couldn't pay attention to the book she was reading as her was mind was whirling a mile a minute. She retreated to her personal belongings and pulled out her journals where she'd pinned her thoughts over the years. It was in those journals that she kept the letter from Chakotay, as well as some letters from Kate. She sat back down and began to re-read those. She needed to soul search and determine what her future held for herself because the tension was eating her alive, and she wasn't sure how much more she could endure. After taking a few moments to ponder her thoughts, she did something she never dared doing. She sent access to one of her most personal logs directly to Chakotay. He had a right to know why she was so hurt and what in her past had scarred her so deeply and caused her to push him further and further away. She had penned this on the night of her birthday celebration with him all those years ago. She couldn't tell him face-to-face as it was too painful, but this would open up her soul to him in more ways than one.

After returning to the bridge to check on the status of their mission to retrieve the reserves, Chakotay informed the bridge crew that he was going to retreat to his quarters for a few hours. He needed to eat and had some reports and tasks he needed to focus on. Alpha shift would be ending soon, so he bid a good evening to the bridge crew and thanked them profusely for all their hard work earlier that day. He eventually made his way back to his quarters where after eating a quick bite, he decided to perform a Native American meditation ritual in which he hoped would send some positive vibes throughout the ship, as well as impact Kate's frame of mind and aid in her recovery, much as they had done many years ago with him.

As he was finishing his meditation, he noticed the light on his personal workstation was blinking. He retreated to his desk and while standing, he logged on to the system. When he realized the message was from Kathryn, he came close to turning off the screen, until he noticed the date and realized suddenly what this was. Carefully, he pulled out his desk chair and sat down and began reading:

_Chakotay – Maybe this will help you understand things a little better. And, I'm sorry, too. ~Kathryn_

_Stardate, oh forget the Stardate, it's May 20, 2378, my birthday._

_Where do I even begin to write this personal log entry? Seven years trapped in the Delta Quadrant with the weight of the world upon my shoulders has nearly made me forget my birthday each year, as I haven't ever really felt like celebrating. This year, things are a little different as we've made contact with Starfleet and have been in communication with relatives back in the Alpha Quadrant. To say it makes me feel relieved is an understatement. Just that piece of communication from home is all that most of my crew has needed. But truth be told, it is also somewhat bittersweet._

_Call me crazy, but I've grown accustomed to my crew and we have all become like family these past seven years. While I would do anything to get home, sooner rather than later, part of me fears returning to the Alpha Quadrant and the memories that will come back for me returning there. Early on, when Voyager left on our mission to stop the Maquis, I dreamed of returning home to Mollie and ultimately marrying Mark. But whether I would have ever married Mark is an entirely different story, but thankfully, I don't have to ponder that any longer as he's moved on, for which I am grateful and wish him well._

_Had you ever told me that I would fall madly in love with anyone other than Justin, I would have told you and everyone else in the world they were crazy. The moment Justin rescued me from my harrowing and absolutely terrifying situation with the Cardassians, I was immediately attracted to him, and that eventually turned in to more. Justin knew what happened to me at the hands of the Cardassians, something that no one else, not even my father, mother or sister know, and he always vowed to keep my secret safe and keep me safe. Justin was my love and when he was killed, a part of me died. A part of me became so angry and vowed to get revenge on any type of rebel or anyone that would go against Starfleet and their hallowed protocol. But part of me also became scared and built up walls to protect myself vowing to myself that I would never fall madly in love and let anyone ever get that close to me again because I could not and cannot bear the thought of losing someone else again._

_But leave it to Kathryn Janeway, Captain of the USS Voyager, to not be able to resist temptation when it stares her straight in the eye. I fell in love. No, I am madly in love with an initial rebel but someone who makes me feel completely whole, safe, secure and protected. To be honest with myself, I have never felt this way about anyone in my entire life and that includes Justin. No matter when I see Chakotay on my ship, butterflies still echo somewhere deep in my being. The very first time I saw him through the view screen, I was smitten. Then when he stood on my bridge mere centimeters from me with a phaser aimed directly at me, I challenged him and invaded his personal space and my God, he was so, so amazing._

_Never in my wildest dreams did little Kathryn Janeway think she would stand a chance with this man. Every female onboard this ship and across the galaxy was in love with him in some way, shape or form. When we were stranded on New Earth, I knew he wanted me to drop the protocol and spend the rest of our lives there together. Kathryn desperately wanted to give in to her temptation, but the Captain was absolutely terrified. If I were to give in to my temptation and allow Chakotay to love me and care for me as I know he would and will, I was absolutely terrified that he would be taken from me, just as Justin had been. After he confessed and told me his love story of the Angry Warrior and the Female Warrior from the neighboring tribe, every fathom of my being wanted to take him to my bed and make passionate love to him, have a family with him and never leave this planet. But Captain Kathryn was petrified and couldn't fight the demons of losing him – he was a rebel, he was a Maquis, I had to defend Starfleet._

_What an IDIOT I was on New Earth and so many other times over the past seven years. Even when we've had our biggest of fights, he still has stood by my side. He will protect me from any alien and even myself at times, and I can only imagine how protective he would become over me should he know what happened to me at the hands of the Cardassians, the same race that he hates with a passion because of what they did to his family. He is my voice of reason and isn't afraid to stand up to me. Knowing he sleeps on the opposite side of the bulkhead has sometimes been the only thing that's gotten me through so many restless nights during this never ending voyage._

_Today was one of the most amazing and memorable days of my entire life. Chakotay surprised me and took me out on a date for my birthday. He had a holodeck program designed specifically for my birthday that was designed to be like Paris in the early 2000's. We strolled down the streets and through the Parc de Belleville, dined at an amazing restaurant near Notre Dame before climbing to the top of the Eiffel Tower. As we were looking out over the grand city, the sky lit up in an immaculate fireworks display and as I turned to him, I couldn't help but notice my breath caught in the back of my throat because of the way he was staring at me. I have never had anyone look at me like that in my entire life. There was so much passion within his look that I felt I was the only person in the universe. Ever so slowly, he kissed me. Alarm bells starting going off inside the Captain's head, but for once in my life, Kathryn fought off the Captain and dropped her guard. I must admit, the man has the most amazing lips that I have ever kissed._

_He broke the kiss and pulled out a box from behind his back. As I opened it, I revealed an absolutely beautiful necklace that had a small multi-colored dimensional star on it. Delicately he clasped the necklace around my neck and the star hung perfectly in my v-neckline dress that I had worn for this evening. Eventually, we left the holodeck and he walked me back to my quarters, where I invited him in for a nightcap. Sitting there staring across the sofa at him in the glow of the starlight, his eyes still held the same look that I had seen atop of the Eiffel Tower, and I couldn't resist. I stood from the sofa and extended my hand to him and led him to my bedroom. The rest can only be described as simply magical._

_Chakotay made me feel so, so loved tonight. I know I've said it before but I have never felt this way in my entire life, but I also cannot shake the feeling that somehow I am going to lose him and that absolutely terrifies me. While I don't regret finally spending the night with him, actually I would do it again and again if I could, a part of me worries over what may come. I am beyond in love with this man. He is a part of me day in and day out. I can't get him off my mind ever, and I want to spend the rest of my life with him whether it's on Earth or anywhere in between. But should something happen to him, as it did with Justin, I don't know how I will ever, ever recover. I need to talk to him about this and let him know my fears because I ultimately know he can calm me down and assure me that all will work out. I pray that I never lose him because if I were to lose Chakotay, my love, my life, Kathryn may be lost forever…_

Chakotay was frozen stiff as he concluded reading her personal log entry. He wished Kathryn had told him this years ago, but he now understood why she hadn't. She was too scared to be so open and then all that happened with Seven, he totally understood why she was so hurt. While it was still a war between the Admiral and Kathryn, he saw why the wall to Kathryn was put up because in some ways, she had been lost, but he was determined to help her recover. His heart ached to hold her and assure her that he would make this right, but he additionally knew that she was suffering all the more now at the possibility of losing Kate, whom she likely loved just as much as she loved him. She loved him, he thought to himself, it was something he always suspected but reading just how long she had been secretly in love with him, couldn't help but bring tears to his eyes.


	11. Chapter 11

Two hours later, Chakotay's thoughts were interrupted when the Doctor summoned him to sickbay. Chakotay hastily made his way to sickbay and found that the doors slid open once he stepped in front of them. Upon entering he noticed the temperature was slightly elevated and the lights were somewhat dim. He couldn't help but see Kate, his daughter, lying on the bio bed with her eyes closed looking as if she were peacefully sleeping. For a fleeting moment, a shot of fear ran through his veins noticing how eerily quiet it was and how completely still Kate lay on the table. He scanned the sickbay looking for any other soul and saw none but the Doctor who was approaching him.

"She's going to be just fine, Captain," the Doctor added with a smile and patted Chakotay on the shoulder. "She woke up about an hour ago and we performed some mental exercises and some physical ones, as well. She passed every test with flying colors. She is quite tired and we are awaiting Neelix to deliver her some dinner, but she asked if she could see you before Neelix arrived."

Chakotay nodded his head and glanced towards Kate before he returned his gaze to the Doctor. "If you haven't already, I'd highly recommend you to notify the Admiral, as she should, above all, be able to see her daughter."

The Doctor nodded. "That was my intention, but I wanted you to have some time with her first, as that was her initial request. You may have hell to pay when the Admiral gets here later and sees you've already been, but I'll do what I can to help throw her off the scent. Maybe I can time her arrival with Neelix'. I'm going to request the Commander stay overnight here in sickbay, but she should be able to return to her active duties within the next day or so."

"Thank you, Doctor, for everything you've done for her. We really owe you."

The Doctor smiled and returned to his office allowing Chakotay to have some privacy with the Commander.

Chakotay stepped closer to the bed where Kate lay and he couldn't help but have a flashback to some of the times he'd seen Kathryn lay on this same bed over the years and how he'd stood vigil watching over her with great care. In so many ways, watching Kate lay there, he was struck all the more with how much she looked like her mother. He took her hand in his and ever so slightly her bright blue eyes batted open and when she turned to see him, she broke out into a bright smile that immediately caused him to smile too.

"You're still alive?" she questioned.

He had a brief confused look come across his face and when she started to chuckle, he realized what she meant by the statement.

"Don't even get me started," he replied referencing the Admiral.

"I owe you big time I'm sure, and I'm sorry because I am 100% sure that she probably has berated you and lashed out at you far more than you ever have deserved because none of this, absolutely none of this is your fault. And we both know she would have done the same exact thing, even though she's too stubborn to admit it. Some days I wonder just what it will take to make her break."

He smiled at her before replying. "We can't worry about her right now. The most important thing is that you are okay. How are you feeling?"

Sensing he was holding back something from her but deciding not to press him, she replied, "I feel fine. I'm tired and still a little bit cold, but overall, I'm hungry, which is nothing unusual for me."

They shared a brief laugh before he turned serious. "You saved us all. We owe you more than anything. I can deal with the Admiral berating me solely because you saved my entire crew, and you did such an outstanding job with the repair, that we are going to be able to proceed to the reserve collective before returning to DS9."

She reached out and grabbed hold of his hand again, which she had previously let go of. "You don't owe me a thing.  _Voyager_  rescued me after my Borg attack, and the least I could do was help try to save  _Voyager_. I'm glad I was able to help. That being said, the Doctor informs me that you talked to Michael?" she asked while raising her eyebrows.

He glanced away almost as if he were embarrassed. "Yes, I wanted him to hear from my mouth what happened rather than hear through the rumor mill."

"Thank you. That means a lot that you would be willing to reach out to him."

"Aside from him being totally Irish, he seems like a genuine guy."

She laughed. "He's very Irish, which is why I think he and Mom get along, but I think you and he will bond very well. Whenever we get to DS9, I'll be sure to introduce you, and you two can spend some time together."

"You better believe I'm going to quiz the young lad who intends to marry my daughter, as he will have to pass a test with flying colors in order to marry you," he joked and they shared a laugh while he reached out to fix her star necklace that was slightly askew from her tumble around in space.

What neither of them realized was that while they were sharing their tender and lighthearted moment, the Admiral herself had slipped quietly into sickbay using one of the side doors. She stood in the shadows and watched carefully as Chakotay and her, ultimately their daughter, shared such a simple, light-hearted moment in the middle of such chaos. She could immediately tell how much Chakotay loved Kate and vice versa, and a wave of guilt and nausea hit her with such a force that she had to reach out to the nearest wall for support as she was nearly overwhelmed.

Kate slowly sat up on the bed and as she did, she glanced over Chakotay's shoulder where she saw Kathryn hidden in the shadows. To say Kate was surprised to see her mother, would have been a lie because she had felt her presence long before she actually saw her. Chakotay saw the look on Kate's face as he had gently assisted her in helping her sit upright. He turned to see Kathryn staring at them. Her expression was one he had not seen before and he wasn't sure how to exactly read her.

"I'll go and let you spend," he was cut-off.

"No, don't go," Kathryn replied while stepping closer to them. She couldn't help but notice that Kate still held on to Chakotay's hand as she stepped up to her bed. She briefly glanced at Chakotay and held visual contact with him, almost as if she were trying to read his body language to determine whether he had read her message.

Kate was wide-eyed with anticipation as she didn't know what was about to transpire and secretly, she was glad that Kathryn had asked Chakotay to stay.

"I don't mind going, so the two of you can spend time together," he stated quietly while returning her visual communication and allowing a slight sparkle to light in his eyes.

Kathryn looked up at him and smiled. "You're her father, Chakotay. You deserve to be here as much as anyone does."

Kate blinked back the tears that formed in her eyes. It was the first time she had actually audibly heard her mother say that Chakotay was indeed her father. They all knew it. Kathryn had told Chakotay after he pulled it out of her, but to Kate, it was as if a weight had been lifted. Kathryn studied Kate's reaction and shook her head slightly.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" Kathryn asked while reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her daughter's ear. Chakotay stood mesmerized as to how quickly Kathryn had morphed back into her total maternal side, a side he hadn't had the liberty of seeing much over the years.

She nodded her head and choked out, "Yes, it's just that I've never heard you actually state who my father was. I mean naturally it was rather obvious, but you'd never actually verbally confirmed that for me to hear."

Simultaneously, Kathryn and Chakotay both reached out to cup Kate's face in their own palms. Initially, the sudden movement by the both of them caused her to pull back as it was a little overwhelming but then she broke out in to a smile so eerily familiar to her father's that Kathryn couldn't help but gasp. Chakotay laughed at both of their reactions.

"Geez, you two are like magnetically connected or something. I mean the both of you reacted at the same exact time to try to do the same exact thing. Sorry, I didn't mean to pull away but that kind of startled me a little."

Kathryn shook her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to gasp but your smile is the exact replica of your father's down to the fine lines and dimples."

He laughed replicating that same smile, "Hey, what can I say? She's got great genes, right?!"

They all shared a laugh, and Kate couldn't help but beam as this was a moment that she had dreamed of over the years – a moment where both of her parents doted on her at the same time. Kate reached out both of her arms and wrapped them around each of her parents to which they reciprocated.

"I do have great genes because I have two incredibly smart and good looking parents. I know the two of you have been a great odds lately, there's no point to try to lie to me about it because I can sense it. I'm not asking you to resolve it or deal with it, but at some point, you're going to have to. I know you're both probably not the happiest at the choice I made to stay outside longer, but I did what I knew needed to be done. If I were to have died and knew that I had been successful in saving  _Voyager_ , then I knew I would have died for something and that was worth the sacrifice, specifically because I would have saved both of your lives.

"I know you've butted heads over this but Captain, you went along with me and this was solely my decision. I have done these types of repairs on several other occasions, so while I knew the risk I was undertaking, I knew I was more qualified than anyone else to successfully complete this mission. Admiral, I know you've blamed him and questioned him. No, he hasn't told me, but I just know because I know you. It's not his fault, so you need to drop it. If you want to blame someone, blame me but don't blame Chakotay. And deep down, while it would have been against your better judgment, you would have done the same exact thing that he did."

Kathryn didn't really know what to say because her daughter had pretty much just nailed her to the ground, and Chakotay, thankfully for Kathryn's sake, didn't turn to glare at her or stare at her as he had every single right to do. A few moments passed in silence and Kathryn and Chakotay both noticed Kate slightly shiver.

"Are you alright?" he asked with so much concern evident in his voice that it even made Kathryn's heart ache.

Kate smiled faintly, "Yes, I'm fine, but I get chilly every so often, but I assume that's due to the fact that my body temperature is still trying to return to a normal reading."

His next move surprised them all as he sat down on the bio bed directly beside of Kate and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his chest. Kathryn's eyes widened as the scene played out before her.

"This is highly inappropriate according to Starfleet protocol for a Captain and a Commander to exhibit this behavior, however since our relationship as Captain and Commander is slightly a little more complex, I don't think the Admiral will be turning us in to Starfleet Command. Right, Admiral?"

Part of Kathryn was a little jealous because she'd do just about anything to have his arms wrapped around her, as that was something she desired for so many years. Yet another part of her was slightly envious that he had thought of this method of warming his daughter by holding her against him before she herself had thought of it. She cocked her head slightly sideways and smirked.

"I think I'll keep this out of my Starfleet logs, Captain and Commander. I just wonder if the bio bed will support the weight of all three of us?" she asked as she sat on the opposite side of Kate and held both of her daughter's hands in her own.

Kate closed her eyes and absorbed the comfort and safety of the environment that surrounded her. Kathryn briefly looked up and locked eyes with Chakotay. In that moment, Chakotay saw a flicker of sadness drift through Kathryn's eyes and he knew she was feeling regret and guilt for depriving him of this over the years. He shook his head and mouthed to her  _'it's fine, don't even think about the past,'_ which caused her to smile faintly at him. He removed his right arm from Kate's back and wrapped it gently around Kathryn's back pulling her towards him and Kate.

Two parents comforting and supporting their daughter – a daughter who had so many mysteries about her, it was unfathomable. But for the moment, Chakotay relished the fact that he had both the women he loved more than anything in his arms. Kathryn couldn't help but smile as she realized the familiarity of this moment. She needed to talk to Chakotay and verbally tell him the truth about her feelings towards him. She ultimately realized that he had read the personal log entry that she sent him because the way he was caressing her back was almost as if he were comforting her as much as he was their daughter.

The Doctor couldn't help but peer in from his office and see the sweet sight before him. He wished he could channel the rest of the crew so they could be in the know, but ultimately, he knew this was a private moment, and he elected to disappear into his office and continue to work while he let them continue to bond and reunite.

Chakotay and Kathryn listened quietly as the breathing of their daughter settled down and they realized she had drifted off in to a light sleep. Kathryn looked up at Chakotay with a half smirk on her face as if to say, 'you've done it now, big guy' by lulling their previously starving daughter into a light nap. Kathryn watched as Chakotay pulled Kate's hair off of her face with such tender compassion. The movement of her hair revealed the necklace, which he had never said anything to Kathryn about. She saw him glance down at it and stare for a few moments at his daughter lying peacefully in his arms. A few moments later he fiddled with the star that hung loosely from her neck. Watching what he was doing, Kathryn instinctively reached out and grasped his hand that was holding the star.

"I didn't give her the necklace because I was trying to get rid of something you gave me. I gave it to her so she would always have a piece of me with her, and subsequently, a piece of you, as well. It's the most cherished thing you or anyone ever gave me, and I thought what better thing than to give to my, our daughter. She's our shining star, Chakotay."

He smiled and looked up and stared in to Kathryn's beautiful blue eyes. "I'm glad you gave it to her. That means a lot that you actually kept it and would be willing to pass it off to her. She never takes it off."

"Neither did I," Kathryn added watching his reaction carefully.

"Really?" he asked astonished.

"Nope, that evening atop the Eiffel Tower when you clasped it around my neck, I never took it off until the evening I gave it to her. No one knew I wore it because I kept it tucked deep inside my uniform, but it always kept you close to my heart. At nights, I'd often hold it in my hand and reflect on the past and what ifs."

He couldn't help but notice the sadness that crept into her voice as she said the last statement. Just as he was about to respond, they were interrupted by the swooshing sound of the doors as Neelix strolled in with his food cart. The second he entered sickbay, he immediately froze and a large smile crept across his face. He looked like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar, but at the same time, the smile that beamed on his face was full of excitement and joy. The sound of the doors rustled Kate from her peaceful slumber. When she awoke, she was slightly disoriented and when she glanced up to see Chakotay and Kathryn, she couldn't help but smile.

"Dinner's ready, honey," the Admiral stated.

Kate slowly sat up between her two parents and dryly replied, "Please tell me you didn't cook it, Mom?"

Chakotay couldn't help but laugh, and Kathryn feigned a hurt look but soon laughed, as well.

"Chakotay knows all too well how my cooking abilities are lacking."

"Well, you did attempt to make some fairly decent meals back home, Mom. It wasn't that bad, but I know it's not your specialty either. So, Mr. Neelix, what's on the menu?"

With a bounce or two in his step, Neelix rolled his cart over towards Kate and lifted the cover displaying a variety of foods ranging from all sorts of fruits and breads to meats and of course an all-out spread of desserts. He beamed with pride.

"Wow!" Kate exclaimed, "There's no way I can eat all this, but it looks amazing."

Neelix beamed and patted her on the leg, "Well, it's a celebration, Commander. You saved us, so only the best for the best."

Kate shook her head in bewilderment. "But wait, what happened to that party that you were supposed to throw for me, Mom?"

Chakotay laughed again, "She doesn't forget anything, does she?"

Neelix interrupted, "Well, I haven't talked to the Admiral yet, but that is in the works for the next day or so when you get fully back on your feet. We'll have some sort of warm environment on the holodeck with lots of food, celebration, and…"

Kate interrupted, "Dancing. As I believe the Captain and the Admiral are supposed to do the Tango," which she mimicked with her fingers doing a parentheses symbol to indicate the "tango" may not be so much the dance as something else.

Kathryn's eyes widened and then narrowed while glancing towards Chakotay, who just gave her a very seductive smirk.

"Ahhh, yes," Neelix practically danced for joy. "We can most definitely have dancing, too, Commander. Whatever your little heart desires, we will have it at this party, and I'll personally see to it that these two dance."

Kathryn was down off the bio bed and stepping away. "Oh no, Mr. Neelix, I will not be dancing or doing anything outrageous at this little shindig."

Chakotay wasn't sure what came over her, but it was almost as if a fear ran across her that something might happen. He was going to question her, but decided to let it drop as he was still trying to mentally process all that he had just recently read from her personal log entry. But previously, they had just had a light-hearted moment regarding the 'tango' and now she acted like she had on New Earth when she got nervous and ran from the room. In that moment, Chakotay began to wonder if deep down, Kathryn was scared of her own self – scared to let go and allow her true self come out and be revealed. He knew she was scared of the past repeating itself, but now he truly pondered whether she was ultimately scared of her own self and scared of losing control.

Neelix didn't seem to pay her any attention, but Kate certainly picked up on her apprehension. She glanced up at Chakotay and saw the brief expression of confusion followed by hurt creep across his face. But she also saw concern within his eyes, and in that moment, Kate realized that Chakotay knew more than he was letting on to. Something still was wrong, and Kate couldn't put her finger on it. Nonetheless, she decided to enjoy her dinner, and just let the other things settle themselves down.

Kathryn stepped back to Kate and pushed her hair behind her ear. "Sweetheart, I'm going to run for a little bit, but I'll be back later to check on you. If you need me, just let me know, okay?"

Kate, who had just taken a mouthful of food, pointed to the dessert offering her mother some, which she politely declined. Confused by her mother's hasty departure, she turned back to Neelix and thanked him for the meal. He ended up leaving her and Chakotay together again.

"Are you okay?" she asked him while taking a sip of her drink.

"I'm fine," he replied.

"No, you're not and neither is she. I don't understand her sudden departure. The 'tango' thing was a joke and then the next thing I know, she's all but having a panic attack and has retreated fully. Has she ever done anything like that before?"

Chakotay didn't respond immediately and that gave Kate all the answer she needed.

"Let me guess, she did something similar on New Earth?"

His eyes widened at Kate's question. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess. I've heard bits and pieces about New Earth and just naturally assumed something must have happened down there."

He smirked. "In many ways, it's likely where we ultimately fell in love with each other, but were both too scared to really admit it, especially Kathryn. One evening, she was complaining of her neck hurting her, so I gave her a neck massage. As I working the knots out of her neck, I felt her tense, so I stopped massaging her neck. She suddenly stood up and thanked me saying her neck felt much better before she hastily retreated to her bedroom. It was like she was running from something."

"She is. She's running from herself." Kate said while sharing a knowing look with her father. "I think something deep down is bothering her, and I think it's a power struggle or battle for control or maybe a fear of losing control. I can tell the way she looks at you that she's in love with you, and likely has been for longer than New Earth. But, I think she's afraid that if she gets close to someone, she's going to hurt them or else she can't figure how to prioritize her career versus her private life. I think she's scared, not necessarily of you, but she's scared of letting you down and scared of hurting you again. Additionally, I think she's scared of letting go and allowing her real self to be known which is where the power struggle comes in to play."

He nodded his head. "Maybe so. It's just baffling me. She builds the walls to protect herself or something. During your unconscious state, she and I had a miniature battle and I apologized for how I reacted and treated her, yet she never replied. When I eventually returned to my quarters, she had shared one of her personal log journals with me via the message center saying she hoped this would help explain, and while it did, it's caused me to have even more questions. I just wish she'd let someone in to comfort her and love her."

The innocence in his tone made Kate stop eating. "I'm sorry she's hurt you, and I know I'm a big cause of that."

Chakotay instinctively reached out to grasp Kate's hand. "No, don't ever think that. I had a hard time understanding it at first, but I can see why she did what she did with giving you up for adoption. There's no way she could have taken care of you and continue with her duties. Do I wish she'd told me earlier? Yes, most definitely, but I think that might would have changed my opinion of her more, and I may have likely reacted much more harshly towards her.

"I think somehow finding you first and allowing the pieces to fall together as they did, maybe hearing the story come from you first, I think it somehow softened me and caused me not to react as harshly as I could have towards her had I found out through a third party or some other channel. I do wish I had been able to spend more time with you and watch you grow in to the beautiful young woman you are now, but I am not going to let any of those feelings interfere with our relationship now. I don't hate her for what she did, and I am moving past that. You're in both of our lives now, so while we don't have the childhood and youth memories, we need to celebrate what we have with you now. At least we'll be able to be there for your wedding and see you have children and such, if that's in your plan."

Kate smiled, "See, you know how to think positive in every situation. And yes, one of these days, I'd love to have a little Irish-Indian kid. Can you imagine a fiery redheaded, half Native American kid? She'd have a more stubborn streak than Mom."

They both shared a laugh at that thought before Kate turned serious. "Hey, when I do get married, it won't be a big ceremony, and if you and Mom are still at odds, I don't expect you to sit together and act all happy and lovey-dovey. I'm not going to try to pressure you two in to a relationship. Just be true to yourselves and hopefully one day, she'll wake up and realize who she really is. If not, then that's her dilemma. We can't fight her demons for her when she's not willing to fight them on her own."

Chakotay chuckled, "Are you sure you aren't a psychologist, too? You're just so well-rounded and seem to have a good grasp on just about any subject. You make me so, so proud. I'm honored to be your Captain, but I'm beyond honored and humbled to be your Father. I love you, sweetheart," he added before kissing her on the cheek. "I'm going to let you finish eating. Take your time on recovery, and thank you again for everything you've done for us."

She smiled politely. "You don't have to thank me, as I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But thank you for your words; they mean more than you'll ever know."

He stood to leave and she held his stare for a little while longer. "I love you too," she echoed as he smiled and turned towards the exit of sickbay.

An hour or so after Chakotay had left sickbay and Kate has eaten as much of the food that she could possibly devour, Ensign Galina Amaez entered sickbay with a small group of children in tow. The Doctor came out of his office to see what the ruckus was but Kate quickly waved him off as he was about to send her visitors away.  _Voyager_  had amassed a baby boom a few years earlier and many of the children had remained onboard with their parents. Ensign Amaez often worked with the children on their schooling and Kate had taken a special interest in spending some time with them on a weekly basis. Each of the children came rushing over to where Kate was now standing beside of the bio bed and all encircled her giving her hugs and various pictures and cards they had made for her.

"Aww, thank you guys so much. This really is so special," Kate replied as she glanced at the items they presented to her.

She sat down on the floor and the kids sat around her asking her a variety of questions pertaining to her latest adventure, but ultimately, they all wanted to know what it was like outside the ship – was it cold? Was it darker? Did she touch a star? Simple, yet childlike questions to which she answered each and every one to settle their inquisitive minds. To her knowledge Ensign Amaez hadn't told the kids just how close Kate had come to dying, but they knew she had gotten hurt. One of the youngest children, Tama, crawled up into Kate's lap and wrapped her arms around her neck.

"Miss Katie," she stated, "I was so worried about you. Ensign Amaez told us you had gotten hurt and I was so scared that you were going to die, and then we wouldn't have anyone to come visit and play with us like you do."

Kate pulled the little girl away from her slightly and played with the sweet child's curly locks. "Tama, you know, I'm glad nothing happened either because I would have missed all of you. I look forward to coming to see you guys every time I get the chance to."

They all beamed with pride, which made Kate smile in return. Ensign Amaez had told her on several occasions how the kids always looked forward to the Commander's visits. They said it made them feel special that someone of her prestige would be willing to spend time with them, the lowest of the totem pole.

As Kate continued to talk to some of the other children and answer their questions, Tama glanced around sickbay and gasped, which caused Kate to stop mid-sentence and ask, "Tama, are you okay?"

"Over there," Tama stated while pointing towards the Doctor's office. "It's the big boss. I think she's mad that we are visiting you. Are we going to get in trouble for coming to see you?" she asked hesitantly.

Kate glanced up to see her mother, Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway, walking towards the group gathered in the sickbay. She had heard Tama's innocent question and as she approached, she could see the look of apprehension in the eyes of each of the children. Within her mother's eyes though, she saw a much different expression – she saw awe and humility and maybe even a slight hint of surprise.

Kathryn stopped and stood just behind the group. "Well, hello there, everyone," she greeted with a smile, but she could still see the look of fear etched upon their faces. "Little Miss Tama, to answer your question, no, none of you are in any trouble for coming to visit the Commander. Matter of fact, I didn't even know that she came to visit you guys."

Tama seemed to have found her courage. "Yes, ma'am. She comes several times a week and either has lunch with us, goes on a field trip with us, plays with us or teaches us something. We love spending time with Miss Katie because she makes us feel special."

Kathryn was touched by this sweet child and she could immediately see how much affection they showed toward her daughter. She couldn't hide the smile that broke out on her face. "Well, I didn't know that Miss Katie came to see you guys, so that has to be a fun experience for all of you, and I'm glad she does come and visit each of you because one day, you could be a Starfleet Commander just like she is."

At that comment, the children collectively made some ooh's and aah's discussing which role they would have when they got bigger and joined Starfleet. As the children talked amongst themselves, Kathryn glanced around the circle and her eyes immediately fell to a young boy who looked awfully similar to Chakotay. Her eyes widened in amazement and her heart sank fearing the worse.


	12. Chapter 12

Kate watched her mother carefully and when she realized what was transpiring, she interrupted.

"Admiral that is Kanuna, his mother is Cherokee. Both of his parents work here on  _Voyager_. He's our quiet one."

Kanuna didn't speak too much, as he had some communication disorders, and Kate often found herself spending extra time with him working on various projects. She glanced quickly back at Kate and she noticed the look of relief that washed from her mother's face.

"Etsi," Kanuna barely said. It wasn't a word that Kathryn was familiar with and when she looked back at him, he was looking between herself and Kate.

"Kanuna," Kate said very gently, "What did you say?"

She was astonished because he so rarely spoke. Everyone in the group, including Ensign Amaez, looked stunned that he had even uttered a syllable.

"Etsi," he repeated while looking at Kate and pointing towards Kathryn.

Kate broke out in to a wide smile. She had never told the children of her relationship with the Vice Admiral, but had spoken of her mother quite often to them, in particular with Kanuna. He had put two-and-two together and figured it out on his own.

Kathryn was confused, "What's does that mean, Kate?" she asked hesitantly.

Kate beamed with great pride at Kanuna and nodded her head, "You're right, Kanuna. She is my Etsi. Etsi is a Cherokee word that means Mother. They have a variety of words that stand for mother and father, but Etsi is one of the more common words."

All of the children gasped and immediately turned to look up at the Vice Admiral who was still standing. Tama's eyes widened so big, Ensign Amaez thought they were going to bug out of the child's head.

"Wait, Miss Katie, are you saying that the Admiral is your Mom?" Tama shockingly exclaimed while pointing directly at the Admiral.

Kate couldn't help but chuckle at the innocence of these children. "Yes, Tama. Everyone, this is Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway, but she's also my Mom."

Tama jumped up out of Kate's lap and wrapped her arms around Kathryn's legs. "Aww, hi, Miss Katie's Mom," she exclaimed while peering her little eyes up towards the Admiral's face. One by one, each of the children got up from their seat to hug the Admiral before returning to sit by Kate in their circle.

"Miss Katie?" a girl named Allette questioned before continuing. "Can the Admiral come visit us, too?"

Kate glanced up at the Admiral, who was still returning hugs to the children, but had heard the question. Kate finally replied, "You know, Allette, Admiral Janeway is very busy and she won't be with us for the entire mission, but if she has any free time and she wants to, I'm sure she will come to visit you."

After answering a few more questions, Ensign Amaez instructed the children that it was time to say their goodbyes as Miss Katie needed her rest. They all stood and enveloped her in hugs and kisses. Kathryn stood back and watched as Kate addressed each child by name and said something positive to each of them. The way they all looked at her, Kathryn knew they worshipped her. Kate took an extra moment with Kanuna, who Kathryn noticed not only didn't speak much, but additionally, he didn't show much expression. Kate spoke to him in English but soon transitioned to what Kathryn assumed was fluent Cherokee, which he seemed to understand better. Before she realized, Kanuna broke out into a wide smile and practically jumped into Kate's arms. Kathryn was amazed at the bond that Kate had with these children. It was something she quite frankly hadn't expected to see.

Eventually, the children and Ensign Amaez departed sickbay leaving Kathryn and Kate alone, as the Doctor had deactivated himself for the evening and his assistant had taken a momentary break. Kate looked towards her mother who had fixated an unusual look on her face.

"What?" Kate asked her.

Kathryn shook her head. "I'm amazed. I never in my wildest dreams would have thought you had such an ease with children as you do. You're a natural, Kate. It is incredible to watch the love that you have for each of them, and how much you mean to them. I remember when Naomi Wildman was the only child we had on  _Voyager_ , and I allowed her to be my special assistant, which she sometimes took to the extreme, but even I didn't have the compassion that you have for these children."

Kate smiled and paced a little to stretch her legs.

"You thought Kanuna was Chakotay's child, didn't you?"

The question completely caught Kathryn off-guard, but she knew there was no way she could lie to her daughter. "The similarities are beyond striking."

Kate nodded and kept walking slowly around sickbay. "What would you have done had it been his son? Which it's not, let me just repeat that, but had you found out that Chakotay had a son with someone else, what would that have been like for you?"

She wondered where her daughter was going with this line of questions. "I really don't know. I mean there's nothing I could have done about it. If he had or has any other children, then I can't take them away from him, but I guess part of me would have been a little stung to know he had a child and never told me," and she paused allowing herself to hear what she had just said.

She turned towards Kate, who had an expression on her face as if to say, 'Mom, how do you think he felt?' but she never said a word and the Admiral continued.

"Kathryn, yes, I know you despise it when I call you that, but you are his daughter and I took you away from him, and ultimately I never told him over the years. It was beyond wrong of me, but I think and hope one day that you'll both understand why I did it. Should I have held it a secret from him for so long? No, but I didn't know what to do because I know he likely would've lashed out but he would have moved the Earth to find you, as well. I wanted you to grow up and be taken care of. I didn't know how to do that on my own, yet I knew that Chakotay would have been a wonderful father and would've done anything shy of moving mountains to provide for you.

"Seeing the two of you earlier in sickbay, the love that he has for you is so powerful. It is magical. The bond that you two share is unlike anything I've ever witnessed, and seeing you share your love for life with these children, it is beyond humbling. You are like a big sister to them. They don't care about your title and what all you may or may not have done for Starfleet. To them, you are just Katie. I wish I had that capability in me to lower my guard and be more like you. But seeing that little boy, it did send a wave of panic because for all these years, I don't know what Chakotay may have done or who he may have been with. I didn't expect him to sit and wait for me, but that moment made me realize that it is time for me to get my act together."

Kate was humbled by her mother's words. "You can be like me, Mom. It exists in each and every one of us. We just have to know where to look for it and dig deep and pull it out of ourselves. No one expects you to go be 'Big Katie' for these kids. Heck, I don't even know if anyone really knows that I mentor and spend time with them as it's kind of been my own private mission. What you did for Naomi Wildman is likely something that she will cherish for the rest of her life. It might have been a menial task to you, but I can bet she cherished that and it made her feel special.

"That's all anyone wants is to feel special. But to answer you other concern, I know Chakotay doesn't have any other kids. No, he's never told me, but all it takes is looking at the pictures in his quarters or other locations to see where his heart truly is and who he truly loves. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize who his star is and who he idolizes as these children feel towards me. Chakotay, just like these kids, just like any of us really, wants to feel special, and I think we both know who has that capability the most to help him. Keep doing your inner soul search, and listen to your heart. You don't need to fear yourself or anyone else. Just open up yourself to a new realm of possibilities, don't let the power struggle or fear of allowing your real self to be expressed hinder you. Don't let the past jeopardize your future either. Just be true to yourself and you'll be surprised at where the next road takes you."

Kathryn stared at her daughter for a moment as if she were in sheer amazement and awe over her. She slowly shook her head. "You amaze me more and more every day. You don't know how much I regret declining you the opportunity…" and she halted as Kate held up her hand.

"Not now. Not anymore. You made your decision to keep me off  _Voyager_ , and while I may not ever fully understand that, I've accepted it. Please, don't keep dwelling on it, okay? We're here now, here together. We haven't killed each other, and it was wrong of me to not speak to you for two years, but I had to cool my jets. I said some very mean and spiteful things towards you; things I can't take back but absolutely regret saying. But no matter where I was over the past few years, I never took my necklace off. I never forgot who you were. I never forgot you were my Mother before you were my Admiral. You'll always be that to me and in that order – Mom first, then Admiral."

Kathryn had tears in her eyes and while she tried to keep them from falling, she couldn't hold them in place. She took her daughter in her arms and just hugged her. Kate was much taller than she was, but to Kathryn, it didn't matter. She had her daughter in her arms, and that was all that mattered to her. She slightly pulled her daughter away and Kathryn could see the sheer sleep that Kate was fighting.

"Honey, you look exhausted. You've had so many visitors and done so, so much today. You need to sleep and get your rest as your body is not only recovering from the extreme exhaustion from performing the repair, but it's also trying to recover from the trauma of us nearly losing you."

Kate glanced around sickbay and in that instance, something hit Kathryn – she didn't want to leave Kate alone and she felt that Kate didn't want to stay alone. Moving some of the stray hairs out of Kate's face, Kathryn looked deep in to her daughter's eyes. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"

The look that came across Kate's face made her look like an innocent, scared little girl rather than the tough and fierce commander that she was. "Would you?" she almost pleaded more so than asked.

Kathryn smiled one of her more happy and sincere smiles. "Of course, sweetheart. I'd be more than happy to stay with you tonight."

Kate shook her head. "I don't know what's come over me. Typically, I always have felt so alone in this world. For once in my life, I don't feel alone. I feel like I've finally found my home. I never was scared for one minute outside of this ship.  _Voyager_  feels like family and I wanted to do everything I could to save it, and ultimately save you and Chakotay. But my entire life, I've always felt alone or as if I was fighting the battle on my own. Here, I feel complete. But for some reason, the idea of being by myself here in sickbay tonight kind of haunts me. It might be silly, but the little girl in me wants nothing more than to have my mother hold me as I sleep tonight and let her fight away the bad guys and the boogie monsters."

Kathryn stepped in front of her and took both of her daughter's hands in her own. "I know we've struggled over the years, and I've been the cause for why you have felt so alone for so long. I know you don't like my constant battle of the Admiral versus Kathryn, and believe me, I am working on that desperately. Tonight, I want nothing more than to be your mom. I will always be your mother and will always fight any demons and boogie monsters for you. I will protect you until the day that I die. No one will harm my daughter and get away with it and I mean no one, including Captain Calhoun."

Kate's eyes widened at the mere mention of her former commanding officer's name. "What does that mean?"

"There will be a time and a place, but I do intend to have some words for him. You don't leave a member of your crew abandoned in the middle of space. I don't care what type of mission you've been dispatched on, you never leave your crew behind. You protect them at all costs. That's not only a Starfleet protocol, but that is a Kathryn Janeway protocol. But furthermore, and most importantly, you don't dare leave my daughter abandoned and left for dead. He might have upset the Admiral for violating Starfleet protocol but he's awakened the mama bear in me, and I'm ready to rip him to shreds for leaving my baby exposed to the unknown."

A new side of Kathryn Janeway was awakening and to be honest, Kate was enjoying it. She had a smirk that appeared on her face that caused Kathryn to raise her eyebrow in response, as if she were asking her daughter 'what?'

"I would pay good money to see you and Calhoun go at it head-to-head. He already has issues with you, but to see you go after him, as I wanted to do myself on so many occasions, it would be the highlight of my life."

Kathryn had gotten so riled up thinking about telling Calhoun off that she had no trouble re-arranging some of the bio beds to make a larger sleeping area for her and Kate. She lifted her head and Kate saw the infamous Kathryn Janeway glare creep across her face.

"Sweetheart, Calhoun better pray that he doesn't cross me, let alone your father, because I don't know who might cause more harm to him."

Kate shook her head in confusion. "You and Dad have discussed this already?"

Kathryn smiled, "While we haven't spent a lot of time together over the past few weeks, we've had extensive discussions over dinner and during holodeck adventures and such, and believe you me, the two of us are ready to assault Calhoun. I blame myself for sending you there, but he had no right at all to do what he did. Chakotay is beyond infuriated."

Kate was speechless. To have both of her parents ready to assault the man that she dreamed of assaulting, it made her feel lightly relieved to have someone on her side. Kathryn sensing that pride swelling within her daughter smirked in response.

"Calm down, little Chakotay. I can see the pride swelling already. I know you probably butted heads with Calhoun and probably wanted to punch him out on many occasions, but I know you acted in an utterly professional manner. But you let us take care of that. I doubt we'll run into him anytime soon as I can imagine he is hiding like a scared puppy, and he better be. Now," she paused and patted the bed, "little girl, it's time for you to go to sleep and your Mama is getting too old to keep getting so riled up."

Kate simply nodded in reply and as drained as she was both physically and mentally, she climbed on to the bio bed without any protest. Kathryn scooted up on her side and instinctively pulled her daughter to her chest and clung to her as if she was going to lose her.

"I was so scared I was going to lose you earlier that I reacted very irrationally towards your father, but I'm so glad you are safe and sound. I love you, sweetheart, more than you can ever imagine. Please get some rest, and we'll have you a big party in the next day or so. I'm so proud of you in so many ways that I can't even express. Goodnight my little star."

Kate smiled into her mother's chest and replied, "I love you too, Mom."

Kathryn lay there for a long time playing with her daughter's long, dark hair and caressing her until she was certain her daughter was in a deep sound sleep. Once she knew Kate was asleep, Kathryn relaxed a little and allowed herself to drift off into a peaceful slumber, but she never let go of her daughter.

The next morning, the medical assistant reactivated the Doctor's program and he saw a sight that he thought he'd never see – his former commanding officer fast asleep on the bio bed she had rearranged but curled up in her arms was  _Voyager's_  First Officer, Kate Janeway. Even to a hologram, the sight couldn't help but make him smile. He quietly summoned Captain Chakotay to sickbay so that he could witness this first hand.

Walking down the corridors, Chakotay was a little concerned as to why the Doctor was summoning him to sickbay at such an early hour. He was slightly apprehensive that something may have gone awry with Kate's recovery. But when the doors to sickbay slid open, albeit silently he noted, the sight that greeted him caused him to freeze in place and his heart to slightly ache. Laying sound asleep on the table before him were the two women who had his heart, his soul and ultimately, his everything. Part of him was slightly jealous that he wasn't joining them, but deep down, he knew that Kathryn and Kate needed this bonding probably more than he needed with them, and seeing the two of them together, brought a peace upon him that he hadn't felt in years.

He glanced over towards the Doctor's office and smiled back at the Doctor and nodded his head in appreciation. It was a moment that Chakotay would cherish. Slowly and quietly, almost as if he were using his Native American traits and stalking his prey, he crept closer to the table to check on his girls. While Kate was biologically his girl, he secretly hoped that one day, Kathryn would come to her senses and allow him to let him take care of her and nurture her in ways as she was currently doing for their daughter. He'd even discussed this at some length with her mother, Gretchen, many years ago.

He stood over the two of them watching them sleep. Carefully, he pulled strands of both of their hair away from each of their faces. Kate was the picture of a grown two year old in the way she had curled up against her mother and had her head resting comfortably on her mother's chest. Kathryn had her daughter wrapped safely and securely in her own arms, as if she were daring someone to attempt to harm her child. And, Chakotay knew, from one of their more recent conversations, that Kathryn would become ferocious should someone try to harm Kate. Part of him wanted to reach down and plant kisses on both of their cheekbones, but he knew that the Doctor was likely watching, and he wasn't quite sure how Kathryn would respond to that type of action.

Already standing behind Kathryn, he slightly rubbed her shoulder, which immediately caused her eyes to open. He watched as the slight look of disorientation on her face quickly was replaced by a look of happiness at seeing her daughter still asleep in her arms. Feeling as if someone was watching her, Kathryn glanced upward and caught Chakotay watching her with such an intense passion that her breath caught in the back of her throat.

"Good morning," he barely whispered down to her.

She smiled faintly at him and realized at that time that Kate had wrapped herself around her so tightly, Kathryn wasn't sure she could release herself from her grasp.

"Good morning," she replied. "Mind giving me a hand?" she asked nodding towards moving Kate off of her.

"What, you don't want to sleep in sickbay all morning with your daughter in your arms?" he chided her.

She rolled her eyes at him. "That's not what I mean, Chakotay. I'd stay here as long as need be, but she's heavier than a kid and I've not been up all night, so nature calls."

He couldn't help but chuckle at her predicament. "Getting old sucks, Kathryn," he added while attempting to unlock Kate's arms from behind Kathryn's back. "I think she's trying to protect you just as much as you are willing to protect her."

"No, she's just got the Indian vice grip," she started to say but was cut off by Chakotay.

"I don't recall you ever complaining about that before," he added with a wicked smirk.

"Chakotay," she said in breathless exclamation, and the way his name came out of her mouth, he couldn't help but wink at her. She couldn't even reply as he had left her speechless.

"And, like her mother, she sleeps like a log. I don't even think the Borg could wake her up at this point," he continued while helping Kathryn out of Kate's embrace and off the bio bed.

She smirked at him before thanking him for his help. As she was about to retreat, the Doctor came out of his office.

"Is my patient still asleep? Goodness gracious," he said while going over to check her vitals. "Once she wakes up, I'll do a full check-up and then likely release her from sickbay. If she's as stubborn as the Admiral, I know she's going to want to return to work today, but I'd suggest she work a limited schedule for the next few days. Plus, I think she needs to get ready for her big celebration shindig, right, Admiral?"

Kathryn glanced at Chakotay. "I guess that's a hint for me to go meet with Neelix to get the plans lined up for this ordeal."

Chakotay laughed and the Doctor raised his eyebrows. "Don't worry, Doctor, I'll be sure you get invited to come. You are, after all, the one who saved her life."

Looking pleased, he smiled at her. "Now, if the two of you could leave, I'll deal with my patient. I'll be sure to let her know that you stayed with her all night, Admiral, and that the Captain came to wake his sleeping beauties."

Chakotay nearly choked at the last response, and Kathryn couldn't help but laugh.

"Join me for breakfast, Captain?" she inquired catching him further off-guard.

"Yes, ma'am, I'd love to," he replied as he stepped closer to her. Just as they were about to exit the sickbay doors, they both simultaneously turned to look back at Kate sleeping peacefully. The smile on both their faces exuded with contentment.

As Kathryn and Chakotay strolled down the corridors heading towards the mess hall, as they had decided to eat out in public rather than hidden away in one of their quarters, Chakotay glanced over at her, which caused her to turn and glance back in his direction.

"Something on your mind, Captain?"

"Kathryn," he started and stopped not sure how to even begin. "About your message…" but he was interrupted.

"Not now, Chakotay. I know you want to talk about it, and I am ready to talk about it, but can we give it some time? I just wanted you to know…"

"That you love me as much as I love you," he replied without even giving it a second thought. Kathryn abruptly stopped in the middle of the hallway and Chakotay froze in place, as well. "Kathryn, I…"

"Chakotay, that message was deeply personal and private, but I hoped it would shed some light on things for you. I know you are filled with questions, and I promise you that we will discuss this further," she forced herself to try to suppress his reply because while what he said she knew to be true, she wasn't ready to face that, not just right now.

He stepped closer to her, invading her personal space as was common to them. She wasn't looking up at him, so he knew she was avoiding his comment. Glancing down the corridor, he saw no one coming and tilted her face upward towards him. When her eyes met his, they held each other's gaze for what seemed like seconds, with him never letting go of her chin. He could see the multitude of emotions running through her and she, the same in him. At that moment, his stomach let out a growl, which caused the moment to be interrupted but laughter ensued.

"Come on, Chakotay. We better go get you something to eat before you starve to death."


	13. Chapter 13

Throughout the remainder of the day, most everything returned to normal on the ship. Kathryn met for the majority of the day with Neelix completing the preparations for the grand celebration to be held the next evening. Chakotay and the bridge crew continued their mission to the outer reaches of the Alpha Quadrant to obtain the necessary supplies for Deep Space Nine. They were set to reach their destination in two days and then another three day journey back to Deep Space Nine. The Doctor had released Commander Janeway from sickbay under strict orders that she must retire to her personal quarters and remain there. She was not being released to resume her full-time duties for another day or so, as the Doctor was still waiting on her body temperature to return to normal readings. She had to twice a day report to sickbay for scans and body readings, but overall, he had given her a clean bill of health.

Later that evening, as she was just finishing up her dinner, her door chime rang and when she turned around, Chakotay stood in her doorway with a bouquet of flowers. Kate stepped towards him with eyebrows raised and a slight smirk on her face.

"I thought the party was tomorrow night, Captain?" she jokingly added.

He shook his head, rolling his eyes while handing over the gorgeous array of flowers. He noticed how she closed her eyes and inhaled the aroma that stemmed from the fragrant bouquet.

"Thank you. These are absolutely beautiful and smell glorious. Please, come in and have a seat," she said as she motioned for him to do so while she went to find a vase to place the flowers in.

While she was arranging the bouquet on her table, she glanced up to see Chakotay holding a framed picture in his hands. She walked over beside of him to see that he was holding a picture of Kate from when she was a child posing with a black bear.

"Did you kill the bear?" he asked.

She shook her head. "No, she's not dead. She was wounded by some tourists or hunters. My Tribal Chief and I were out hunting on our own and came across her. She was trying to protect her cubs and had forgotten about her own injuries. She allowed us to treat her, and then somewhat ironically, she and her cubs followed us back to our home. In some ways, while they were never domesticated, they became somewhat like pets to us. He took my picture with her, and it always served as a reminder to me that no matter how tough life gets, to always remember where you came from, hold true to those you love and keep pushing forward."

Chakotay was fascinated at her story. He replaced the picture on her shelf and stared at the one of the three of them that was taken on the day she was sworn in as his first officer.

"I'm so glad The Doctor was there with his camera that day. You know, it's our first official yet unofficial family photo," she commented.

She noticed the expression on his face as he carefully studied the photo.

"And it won't be the last. I framed a copy, as well, and placed it in my quarters, too."

"Great minds think alike," she said while motioning for him to join her in the seating area.

He sat down beside her on the sofa and stared at her for a few moments.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he noticed she wrapped a blanket around her.

"Still a little cold, but the Doctor said it could still take a while for my body temperature to return to normal. But otherwise, I feel fine. Tired of staying cooped up. I need to be busy doing something."

He laughed and pulled her closer to him. "Here, just lay against me and I'll try to help warm you up."

She smiled politely at him while she curled up in to his side and he wrapped both arms securely around her.

"How are things on the ship? Anything going on that I need to know about?"

"You're not back on full-time duty yet, Commander," he stated and received a glare from her when he looked down at her. "Alright, Kathryn Jr., with that glare. No, everything is operational on the ship. We are continuing on our mission since someone did such an excellent job of the repair. We are taking it at a slower pace but should retrieve the reserves in two days, and then it'll take likely three days or so to get back to Deep Space Nine, where I look forward to meeting a Doctor Killarney."

She chuckled against him and he could feel her body slightly shake from the laughter. "You'll like him, I promise. Mom made a strange comment last night, well not really strange, but something I'm curious about."

He silently pondered where this was going but pressed forward. "Go ahead. What'd she say? Was it something that upset you?"

"No, nothing like that. She just made a comment about how she would protect me until the day she died, which I already knew. But she made a comment, almost a threat like, against Captain Calhoun, almost as if she's got a personal vendetta to settle with him."

At the mere mention of Calhoun's name, Chakotay's body tensed and Kate could feel it. "We both have a vendetta against him, Kathryn," he stated in a tone that was so serious that it sent shivers down Kate's spine. He never called her Kathryn, except the very first time they encountered each other, and this time, when he called her by her birth name, she knew he meant business.

Slowly, Kate sat up and looked him square in the eye, where she was met with a look filled with so much anger and fury that she wasn't sure how to respond. Carefully studying him, he possessed the same anger that matched her mother's that she had seen earlier. He reached out and cupped her face in both of his palms almost challenging her to look deeper in his eyes, where she could see his inner soul and saw just how sincere he was.

"Kathryn," he stated again and she was so paralyzed by his look that it didn't even register with her he'd called her again by her birth name. "What Calhoun did was beyond a direct violation of Starfleet protocol. Believe you me, your mother and I have recounted this story countless times to each other. He should have charges brought against him from Starfleet for violation of protocol, but I don't care about that. He left my daughter in a very perilous state, and I don't take kindly to that. I'd move mountains to protect those that I love, and should Calhoun cross my path, he better be prepared for the wrath of God because I intend to inflict some upon him."

Kate placed her hands on Chakotay's chest drawing him out of this deep state he was in. "Edoda," she barely whispered, which she saw register on his face what she had said. "I appreciate the anger and the fury and the sheer protection from both you and Mom. And while I do agree that Calhoun crossed several lines of Starfleet protocol, you can't go rip his head off, much as I'd like to see both you and Mom do. I've wanted to do that on numerous occasions while serving on his ship, but I dug deep and kept my patience. He will hang himself one day. While I want nothing more than for my parents to give him a piece of their minds, I don't want him to, in turn, file any charges of his own against the two of you. I don't want the two of you losing your jobs over some petty little man. Just hearing how protective the two of you are over me, it means more than you'll ever know. Mom said she saw the pride swell on my face, and it is an incredible feeling to know you aren't alone in this universe and that someone is willing to stand up for you."

He heard the hesitation creep in to her voice at the statements of being alone. He knew she battled that off and on her entire life trying to fit in with the tribal children and in so many other areas. "Do you feel alone here?" he asked hesitantly.

In seconds, her facial features changed and he saw relief wash over her. "You know I've always struggled with feeling alone my entire life, yet I've had plenty of friends and such and I'm a relatively popular person. Serving on the  _Titan_ allowed me to form a close relationship with Deanna Troi-Riker, who has provided so much counseling and support over the years, and she's helped me decipher this thought, as well as so many others. I think the aloneness came from the fact of feeling like a large part of me was missing. When I found Mom, I felt better, but then after she and I had our spat and I was sent to  _Excalibur_ , that aloneness crept back up with a full force. But the moment, I opened my eyes on  _Voyager_ , I felt different. I felt at home. I hadn't realized who you were nor had Mom even showed up, but I felt at a complete peace – like this was family and this was where I belonged. I feel happy, I just feel relief. The aloneness I felt is completely gone. I feel safe and loved."

He pulled her back to his chest and wrapped his arms tightly around her and kissed the top of her head. "You are home, my angel, and you are loved more than you can ever imagine and I'll always ensure that you are kept safe."

They stayed in silence for a few moments listening to the sounds of each other breathing, as well as the hum of the ship and other noises that echoed through the bulkheads of the massive ship. After a few moments, Kate broke the silence with a question that had been gnawing at her.

"I'm not sure how to ask this, as it's something that's been gnawing at me for a while and I've been curious. If it's none of my business, please let me know. I know you and Mom have been spending a lot of time together. I know you've not, well you know, and don't ask how I know, I just know and no she's not said a word. I know you've been helping her try to figure out the Admiral versus Kathryn stuff, and I'm not in any way, shape or form trying to encourage the two of you to rectify and reunite. I know you love her, I can tell; and I can tell she loves you, too. I think you're both scared to admit it and she's too dang hung up on protocol at times to let a good thing pass by.

"I have a strong feeling, based on what I witnessed a few times in sickbay, that the two of you likely had it out while I was outside doing the mission and then subsequently while I was unconscious and in surgery. I don't want to know what all happened, as I'm sure there was a lot of heated arguments, blame being passed back and forth, etc. But, what I want to know is how is the the tension level between the two of you now? Are you still walking on egg shells and being wary of each other? I know you had breakfast together, but I can imagine there's still some hesitation. I say all that to say, as I said before, at my wedding, I want you both there, but I don't want you to always be at each other's throats. I don't want to get trapped in the middle of the two of you at each other's throats either. I kind of feel confused at times, you know?"

She had started to ramble and he knew where all this was coming from as he understood her better than she likely realized. He placed a finger over her lips to get her to stop talking.

"You're babbling, just like your mother does when she gets confused about something and can't figure how to fully wrap her brain around something."

He looked down at her and caught the smile that crept across her face, which was quickly replaced by a serious expression that he knew she was waiting for him to respond.

"Sweetheart, to say your mother was pissed that one, you went out on this mission and two, that I refused to pull you back in when your suit failed, is highly an understatement. I've never seen her so angry in my entire life. She got pretty forceful with me as I did with her. We likely both overreacted. We got thrown out of sickbay and then ultimately locked out of sickbay. She was livid, and I fully expected her to be as the Admiral came out raging, but she herself as a mother also came out raging, too. We've not yet discussed any of that, so, yes, there is still some apprehension on both our parts.

Prior to that, we had gotten to a point, where we were working on a resolve and things had calmed down. You're right in that we've spent a lot of time together and no, we've not crossed that threshold again. I do love your mother with my entire heart, soul, body, mind, everything. But to tell her that at this moment, it wouldn't register. After we nearly lost you, we both nearly were ready to attack each other. And in the middle of it all, while we were separated, she did send me that message that I was telling you about earlier. We've still not discussed it, but she revealed a lot in that message, which was ultimately meant only for her eyes, but it helped me see why there is this constant internal battle.

"So while we did share breakfast this morning, it will take some time for us to readjust to our lives. I don't know what the future holds. I want her in my future, but I don't know where I fit in to hers. But additionally, I cannot dwell on that either. Kathryn has to come to her own terms and things will have to play out. I'm not walking on eggshells around her. Even if things don't work out, I can promise you one thing that we both love you and cherish you. No, I don't fully understand all her decisions from the past, but we will make things work out and keep the peace when it concerns our beautiful daughter."

She reached up and wrapped her arms around him pulling him in to a tight hug while burying her face in his neck. "Thank you," she mumbled against his neck which slightly gave him chills because it faintly tickled him. She pulled back and put her hand on his cheek. "No matter what happens to the two of you, I'll always be here for you. Who knows what may happen, but just don't give up hope."

He smiled back at her. While she reminded him more and more of Kathryn, her true nature was definitely a mixture of the two of them. She could have her mother's stubborn streak and brains of brilliance, but yet she could have the utmost patience and passion for the smallest of things like himself.

Changing the subject he slightly smiled, "So, the Admiral tells me that you have a private mission that you've been conducting while onboard my ship unbeknownst to anyone but yourself, Ensign Amaez and all these little children."

She shook her head and chuckled. "You sound like you're surprised that I tolerate children."

He chuckled, "Definitely not your mother's daughter, as she hardly had the patience to deal with Naomi Wildman over the years. She gave it her best, but there were times that I think it got on her absolute nerves."

"I don't mind children at all. It actually is a break for me. Instead of exploring on the holodeck, it allows me to feel more comfortable and be able to mentor the children allowing them to see that even those of us in command are human and care about them. It's nothing anyone else has to do, it's just something I chose to do on my own."

He smiled at her and stared at her for a few seconds. "I think it's very admirable. Not many people have time or want to make time to spend with the little ones. I try to pop in every so often, but I'm not the greatest with kids."

She rolled her eyes. "I don't believe that. Naturally, they just want to feel special. If they ask questions, just be honest and answer them. That's all I really ever do."

"Kathryn, your Mom, well, whatever I'm supposed to call her, says that you seem to have a very special bond with a little boy named Kanuna?"

"You can call her Kathryn or Mom, whatever you prefer. Kanuna is very special in many ways. You know his parents and his mother is full-blooded Cherokee. He has communication and social disorders. He loves being with the other children, but he struggles on how to communicate with them. Fortunately, I've been working with him and talking to them about him. He seems to adjust much better now and they are willing to help him. He speaks fluent Cherokee, so sometimes I tend to be able to communicate better with him in the native language. He was the one of the group who figured out that Kathryn was my mother, as I had never told them that."

He nodded his head. "Native Americans are always in tune with their surroundings. I need to pay more attention next time I go visit and figure out which one he is."

Kate laughed, "It shouldn't be hard. He looks a lot like you, so much so that…" and she stopped because she wasn't sure whether she should reveal what her mother had thought about Kanuna.

Sensing her hesitation, Chakotay turned to look at her. "She thought he was my son?" He noticed her hesitation before answering. "It's okay, she somewhat alluded to that fact without ever coming out and saying it earlier this morning."

"The resemblance is striking, and when she saw the little fellow, she froze and I think she feared the worst. I confronted her on it later asking what she would do if you had any other children. She wasn't really able to respond, but she said there wouldn't be anything that she could ultimately do about it."

He interrupted her, "But you know that's not the case, right? I mean you know there are no other children, there is no significant other, right? I told her mother that Kathryn was the only person I wanted to grow old with and spend the rest of my life with."

At that statement, Kate's eyes blared open. "Her mother? As is my grandmother? You met her? I mean you told her you are in love with her daughter?"

He couldn't help but laugh at her tone as she sounded like an astonished teenager. "Yes, Kate, I've met the infamous Gretchen Janeway. Matter of fact, I went to Indiana looking for your mother shortly after our return to Earth way back when. She had endured weeks of grilling from Starfleet Command, and I couldn't locate her. So, I ended up going to her family's home in Indiana hoping to find her. I wanted to come and tell her that there was never any relationship between Seven and myself. I wanted to tell her in person how I truly felt about her, and how that since we had returned to Earth, how things could change for us. When I arrived in Indiana, Gretchen informed me that Kathryn had left hours prior to my arrival and she and Phoebe, Kathryn's sister, had no idea where she had gone."

She held up her hands for him to stop. "Wait! Did they have any idea who you even were?"

He smiled and nodded his head. "Shockingly, yes. Apparently, Kathryn had told them a lot about me. I told Gretchen exactly how I felt towards Kathryn. She was astonished that nothing had transpired during our seven year voyage, but then she shook her head and said that Kathryn was natured too much like her father, always by the book and wouldn't bend the rules even if it cost her own happiness. Gretchen proceeded to tell me that when Kathryn talked about me, she could see a twinkle in her eye and a happiness wash over her that she had never seen before. She said she knew that Kathryn was in love with me just by looking at her, but she knew how stubborn she could be. I told Gretchen that I wanted to marry her daughter, and she said that if I ever got the chance to ask, that I had her entire support. I stayed for a few hours with them. They are absolutely incredible people. That's one thing I am going to suggest to Kathryn for when we return to Earth is that she needs to take you to see Gretchen and Phoebe because you deserve to know your grandmother and your aunt. But, I'll warn you, Phoebe can be something else."

Kate's eyebrows both shot up. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Chakotay chuckled. "She and Kathryn are a lot alike, but they are also very different. Phoebe hates Starfleet. She hates what it did to her father and now her sister. She hates all the rules. She said she always wanted Kathryn to loosen up and live a bit. Phoebe is much more of a free spirit, well-natured person. I'm not saying that Kathryn isn't, but Phoebe isn't quite by the book. Gretchen told me later that her two girls were notorious at times for butting heads. So, it could be real interesting to see what happens when Phoebe realizes that Kathryn has a daughter."

Kate laughed, "Great! And we thought the Borg attacks were bad. A battle between the Janeway sisters could potentially end the universe."

They shared a good laugh at the thought of that. Before Kate continued, "What's Phoebe look like?"

Chakotay blinked back a little surprised. "Well, she looks a lot like Kathryn, but, and I'd never tell Phoebe this, but, Kathryn is much more attractive. Phoebe looks a bit more like her father, I think, who I never got to meet, as Kathryn looks a lot like Gretchen. You definitely have a lot of the Janeway genes flowing through you, especially with the eyes and facial structure."

Kate nodded her head trying to absorb all that he had told her. "I'd definitely like to meet the both of them, but I'm not sure how Mom is going to react to that. What about your family though?"

He smiled, "I'll mention it to Kathryn at some point and see what she says. Most of my family has passed away except for my sister, Sekaya. She doesn't live on Earth, but I've already messaged her and told her about you. She wants to meet you and was beyond thrilled at the realization that she has a niece."

She patted him on the arm. "I'm glad she wasn't too upset."

"Never. It takes a lot to get her upset."

They sat for a little while longer small chatting before Chakotay decided that he needed to let Kate get her rest as it was getting late. He slowly stood up from the sofa and pulled her up along with him.

"It's time you head to bed, young lady. You've had a busy past few days, and it's time you get a good night's rest. We can never thank you enough for all you've done for us. And you're not to report to work tomorrow, although I believe you presence will be required on the holodeck tomorrow evening, but I'm sure you'll get a memo about that shortly."

She slightly rolled her eyes. "I was just joking about a party, but if you all insist, I'll grace you with my presence. And I promise, I'll get some rest and take it easy tomorrow. I may go hang out with the kiddos, but if something comes up, you know I'm just a call away."

He shook his head and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Sleep well, honey, I'll see you tomorrow," he added before slipping out the door and down the hallway to return to his quarters.

Before heading to bed, curiosity hit Kate and she logged on to her workstation to check her messages. She had one from Deanna, and one Michael, which she fired off a quick replies to. But the one that grabbed her attention came from Neelix, the unofficial Morale Officer onboard  _Voyager_ , which was an official invitation to celebrate the heroism of Commander Kate Janeway. She rolled her eyes as she didn't appreciate being labelled as a hero. The celebration would begin at 1900 in holodeck two with a full spread of food, entertainment and surprises. Dress was casual with a suggestion of tropical attire, which caused Kate to raise her eyebrows wondering if they were attempting to recreate the scene from the infamous picture of her parents that she'd seen in Chakotay's quarters. Nonetheless, she was somewhat excited, though what she would wear, she had no clue. She finally went to sleep with that thought pouring through her mind.

The next day seemed to zip by at a record pace. Commander Janeway had donned her uniform and took an early morning stroll with stops in the mess hall for a quick breakfast, followed by her first mandatory stop at sickbay, which revealed that her temperature had returned to normal. She then continued her stroll around before she finally arrived at the cargo bay that had been turned into a class and play room for the children. When she walked in, she was greeted with a surprise as both the Admiral and the Captain were in attendance. She paused as she stepped into the room, and eyed Ensign Amaez suspiciously as the Admiral was reading a story to the kids. Ensign Amaez stepped over to where Kate had stopped just inside the doorway.

"What is going on?" the Commander questioned.

"I was wondering the same thing. Apparently, you must have rubbed off on them because they came in together about half an hour ago. The Admiral wanted to read them a story and the Captain has been spending time chatting with them. I am about as mesmerized as you are."

The kids nor the Admiral and Captain had seen Kate's arrival in the room, and to say she was suspicious was an understatement. This was her respite and in some ways she felt they were intruding, but at the same time, she watched the kids' expressions as they were amazed as her mother read aloud to them. Kate couldn't help but close her eyes and lean back against the bulkhead somewhat out of eyesight as she listened to a voice that could never be replicated. No matter how hard someone may try, there was no one who could mimic that familiar yet infamous voice of Kathryn Janeway.

Ensign Amaez watched Kate with a curious eye and silently wondered what was going on in the young commander's mind. The two had grown closer over the past few weeks with Kate always popping in to say hello, and even spending some time with the ensign off-duty. She inched closer towards Kate and whispered, "Are you ready for the party tonight?"

Kate's eyes flew open and relief washed over her. "Oh! I'm so glad you are coming. I meant to ask you earlier, Galina, if you were coming. Please say that you are."

She smiled in return, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. The kids wanted to come, but apparently, they won't allow them."

"What?!" Kate exclaimed a little more loudly than she intended to as it caught Chakotay's attention and he headed over in their direction. Kate gave him a suspicious glance and then jumped him. "Ensign Amaez said that the children are not allowed to attend the party tonight. Is that accurate?"

Chakotay saw how quickly she threw up her defensive barriers,  _just like her mother_ , he thought to himself.

"Well, Commander, from what the Admiral and Neelix have stated there will be alcohol involved and I'm not sure that environment will be conducive for…" and he halted mid-sentence as Kate's hand shot straight up in front of his face.

Kate stepped closer to him until they were mere inches apart from each other. Ensign Amaez's eyes widened as she wasn't sure what was about to happen.

"If you want me to attend this party, I think arrangements need to be made for the children to attend. I didn't just 'save  _Voyager_ ', as you all so like to put it, solely for the adults. The children's lives were in danger, as well, and they full well deserve to be invited as they are part of the family onboard this ship. They don't have to be there the entire time and I think they can arrange for a portion of the holodeck to be equipped with a children's play area. Don't you think they could work that out, Captain?"

If it had been anyone else, Ensign Amaez may would have said "ooooh" as she couldn't believe how sassy Kate had just gotten with the Captain of all people. She watched as he smirked in reply.

"I'm sure that can be arranged, Commander. I'll speak with the Admiral and Mr. Neelix and will relay a message on to Ensign Amaez and the children's parents later with an update."

Satisfied, Kate smirked and nodded her head. "Thank you, Captain," she added with a raised eyebrow indicating that Ensign Amaez had not been clued in yet on the fact that he was her father. It was a symbol that the two of them had set up as a secret code or sign to relay that message.

As the Admiral finished her story, Kanuna glanced towards the door where he saw Kate watching them carefully. "Katie," he whispered and she heard him, as did the remainder of the children who all shouted her name in unison. Glee spread across their faces as she stepped into the inner ring of the circle where they were seated around the Admiral.

"Hi guys," she added while sitting down amidst the children. They were all pelting her with questions as she glanced up at the Admiral with a smirk on her face along with a raised eyebrow.

"Did you thank the Captain and Admiral for coming by to see you all today?"

They all exchanged glances and then broke out into a sea of "thank you's". Kate held her mother's stare for a few more moments before Chakotay asked if he could speak to the Admiral. The two said their goodbyes to the children before they retreated out into the hallway leaving Kate with Ensign Amaez and the children.

"We have a problem, Admiral," Chakotay stated firmly.

She wasn't sure what had transpired nor where this exchange was about to go. She nodded her head while propping both hands on her hips as she did when she would get slightly flustered.

"The Commander is refusing to attend the party if the children are not invited."

"What?" Kathryn exclaimed.

"She got wind that the children were uninvited and when I explained to her the reasoning, she said that if accommodations were not made for the children to attend, then she wasn't coming. She said that there could be a portion of the holodeck reprogrammed to allow for a play area for them and that they did not have to stay for the entire time, but she felt they deserved to be there just as much as anyone."

Kathryn shook her head. "Damn, she's hard-headed," she muttered more to herself than to Chakotay, but he didn't miss what she said and he started laughing. "Don't you even start, Chakotay, because I know who you are going to say she gets it from."

"Actually, I wasn't going to say you. I was going to say Phoebe."

At the mention of her sister's name, Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Well, you might be accurate about that."

He laughed again, "Although, you may be slightly more stubborn than Phoebe."

She raised both her eyebrows. "And just how would you know?"

He smirked. "There are some things that don't always need to be discussed, but mainly, your mother told me. And speaking of which,"

She interrupted, "Oh brother, here it comes."

"What?" he retorted. "I don't think you have any idea what I'm about to propose." When he said the word propose, her head shot straight up and he realized what he'd said. "Ah, bad choice of words there. Actually what I was going to say is that, Kathryn, when we return to Earth, you need to take Kate to see Gretchen and Phoebe. They deserve that much."

"You're telling me to take my own child to see my own family?" she questioned and he could hear the tension and anger slightly rising in her voice. "Last time I checked, Captain," she practically spat, "I'm the Admiral here and she is my daughter, and I can and will make those decisions on my own. I don't need you telling me what to do."

He took a step towards her. "She's my daughter, too, Admiral. Your mother and sister deserve the right to know they have a granddaughter and a niece. They don't have to know all the details, but Kate at least deserves to know who her family is. If you don't take her, I have all ideas that she will do this on her own and I doubt you can stop her as she is a grown woman now who can and will make choices for her own self."

She was mad, and he could tell. "We're not having this fight not right now, Chakotay. I've made some pretty damn bad choices in my life and some that I wish I could rectify," she paused and took a moment to collect her thoughts as she did not want to have this conversation right now nor did she want to say anything that would make matters worse, let alone cause him anymore pain. Changing the subjects, she resumed, "But for the Commander, I'll go work with Mr. Neelix on revamping the party to include the children, and I'll be sure to let you know so you can extend the invitation to their families."

Before he could utter a peep, she spun on her heels and headed at warp speed down the hallway. He couldn't help but watch her as she retreated. He always liked it when she was walking mad because the way those arms swung to and fro, he fully expected her to lift off and fly away. He stood there shaking his head as she roared off down the hallway.

"That woman is going to drive me insane," he mumbled to himself.

Kate was still in the room with the children, where she had spent a good portion of her day, when Ensign Amaez asked to see her at her workstation.

"Take a look at this, Kate," Galina said while pointing towards the screen.

Kate made a small noise that sounded almost defiant. "I guess they took my threat seriously," she added while smirking at the ensign, her friend. "Sometimes, you have to speak your mind, Ensign, even if it is towards the uppers. Will you please make sure the children's parents know about this when they come to retrieve them this evening?"

"Absolutely. I think this is going to be a great opportunity for them, and they won't have to stay out too late."

Kate smiled at her. "You are not responsible for them tonight. So, don't you dare isolate yourself to their play area or get reigned in to taking care of them. They are under the supervision of their parents. You come and let your hair down and have a good evening."

Galina nodded her head in return. She was glad that she and the Commander had bonded over the past few weeks as she felt that Kate understood her more than some of the other people on this ship. Ensign Amaez wanted to be on the bridge, but she'd been stuck helping with the children, which she was fine with. She just hoped that one day she would be able to achieve her dream of doing something else on the ship and expand her horizons. She'd shared that with Kate, and Kate assured her that she'd be more than willing to help when the time came.

"Thanks, Kate, I really appreciate all that you do for the kids and for me. I'm looking forward to coming tonight."

Kate nodded. "Good. Well, I've got to run. Got to head back to sickbay one more time, and then get ready for the party. Kids, I'll see all of you a little later," she added while giving them all hugs goodbye before retreating out of their classroom and completing her rounds back to her quarters.


	14. Chapter 14

Back in her quarters, once Kate stepped into her bedroom, she stopped dead in her tracks and gasped. Laid out before her on the bed was one of the most gorgeous dresses she had ever seen. It was a tropical print halter design with a background of blues, purples and greens, which would make the color of her eyes pop. A note lay on the bed beside of it.

' _Your Mom and I thought we'd take the liberty in helping you design your outfit for the evening. If you don't like it or already have something else in mind, just keep it for future use. It's up to you to choose your shoes and all the accessories, but I know no matter what, you'll be the belle of the ball. I'll be by a little before 1900 to pick you up. See you soon. Love, Dad'_

Kate slowly picked up the dress and held it before her. It was stunning to say the least and very tasteful. Someone had gone to a lot of thought to design this for her, and she would most definitely wear this to the party. She lay it back on the bed as she showered and started getting ready for this shindig. She had no idea what to expect, but she was going to go in with an open mind and try to enjoy her evening.

A few minutes before 1900, her door chime rang. She was still in her bedroom getting ready and hollered out "Come in," to whomever was at the door. She heard him say her name and knew, naturally, that it was her father. "I'm in here. Almost ready."

She could hear him nervously pacing around her quarters before she finally asked, "Would you mind giving me a hand?"

Not sure what he was about to walk in on, he carefully peered around the corner, and she couldn't help but laugh at his expression. "Don't worry, Captain, I'm fully dressed, I just can't get my necklace clasp hooked for some reason."

He carefully approached her from behind as he was in awe at her sheer elegance. "I thought you never took it off?" he quizzed.

"I typically don't, but I was trying to do something different with my hair and it got caught, so I took it off to fix my hair and now I can't get it back on for some reason. I think it might be the strap of this gown that's throwing me off. And thank you, by the way, for this. It is absolutely gorgeous!"

She had been looking down and hadn't paid much attention to what he was wearing, but when she glanced in the mirror watching as he carefully refastened the hook on her necklace around her neck, she was momentarily shocked at seeing him out of uniform, which was such a rare occurrence. He was wearing a black shirt that had some sort of tropical design. It was more form fitting and the first few buttons were undone. If he wasn't her father, she might would have made a pass at him. She shook her head and thought to herself that her mother had to have been crazy for not wanting to spend the rest of her life with this gorgeous man.

"All done," he added while patting the back of her neck. She had finally given up on attempting to do something different with her hair and ultimately elected to wear her hair completely down with a few curls added here and there for affects. Taking a step back from her, he simply smiled. "You, my dear, look absolutely amazing. So beautiful. It's hard to believe I'm your father at times because you are so gorgeous just like your mother."

She laughed a hearty laugh that showed all her fine lines, dimples and teeth. "Really? I think you're pretty darn handsome yourself, Dad, and Mom's not too shabby herself. So, hey, crossing your two genes, we came up with sheer perfection." He raised his eyebrows and simply shook his head. "I'm just kidding. As I know I am far from perfect. But thank you for your compliments, and I like what you're wearing it is very relaxing looking, which is good to see you relaxed."

He slipped back around to where he stood in front of her and pulled out a bouquet of flowers. She was stunned as it was an assortment of her favorite flowers, and she had never told anyone on this ship anything about her favorite flowers. She gasped as she inhaled the fragrance.

"These are my favorites. I mean all of my favorites," she was speechless.

He simply smiled and said, "I know," to which she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. He slightly chuckled and then replied. "I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but with both of us having darker hair and somewhat darker complexions and wearing these tropical motifs, I almost feel we look more Hawaiian tonight than Native American."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Well, I'm not of a darker complexion as you are, since I did inherit some of Mom's genes there, but I guess you're right. Although, the Hawaiians are Native Americans in their own rights. But, I guess we'll fit in with the surroundings a little more than the others. Maybe I should've requested we have teepees, wigwams, totems and huts and such for this party. Couldn't you imagine Mom's reaction to that?"

He smiled and laughed, but Kate couldn't help but notice the way his body language changed when she mentioned her Mom. She knew something had transpired and she needed to get to the bottom of this and fast.

"Oh, no, what happened? I know something's wrong. What'd she do this time?"

He shook his head. "It's nothing. Really, it can wait."

In a manner, so eerily similar to her mother, both of her hands were on her miniscule waist and hips in a manner of seconds. Chakotay knew this was about to turn serious, especially when she cocked her head to one side and raised an eyebrow straight up.

"No," she stated adamantly and affirmatively. "If she's done something, I need to know about it because I'm not about to walk in to tension city and have to put out some fires nor do I want the two of you playing nice just for my sake. Open up and spill it."

He chuckled to himself at how much she was like her mother and how quickly she could transition into that role. It was very similar to how Kathryn could transition from Kathryn to Admiral, but fortunately for Kate, she had a better grasp on how to handle both roles.

"When she and I were talking about your wanting the children at the party tonight, she made the comment about how hard-headed you were. I jokingly said it was like dealing with Phoebe at times. She handled that pretty well, but then I opened my mouth and suggested that she needed to take you to see Gretchen and Phoebe. And, well, let's just say, she did not handle that too well. She tried to keep herself as composed as possible, but she basically told me I had no right to tell her what she needed to do with her daughter. I retorted back reminding her that you were our daughter and that I felt that her mother and sister deserved the right to know they had a granddaughter and niece. She didn't respond but I could tell she was processing it, and then she spun on those heels and had her mad walk down the hall."

Kate couldn't help but laugh. "The mad walk when her arms get to swinging so fast it's like she's about to go straight into motion and fly?"

He smirked, "You've noticed that, too?"

"Of course. That's one of her trademarks. But you know what, I don't blame you for bringing it up. You caught her off-guard with it, and that's one thing she hates more than anything - being caught off-guard. She's probably not likely mad at you, as much as she is upset over the fact that you thought of it, and pointed it out to her before she had ever considered it herself. I imagine she's considered it but dealing with how her family is going to react, she's not sure how to prepare for that because just as she hates how she's hurt you and me, she doesn't want to hurt them either with confronting her secret head-on.

"I know it's gnawing at you, but she's had all day to simmer, so who knows maybe you can take her on a midnight stroll down the beach or whatever Neelix has designed for this holodeck program tonight. Don't let her get your feathers ruffled. That's what she wants most is for others to get upset. It's all about control. Keep peeling the layers away. Of course, I'm a fine one to speak since she and I have had our fair share of battles. But I just remind myself that I'm better than that and I have to think with an open mind and clear head. Keep pushing forward. She has to fight her own demons or let them consume her one. But the choice is hers, not ours."

He extended his arm to her, "Well, dear wise one, I think our presence is required at your gala, or the two of our heads might end up on the mighty one's chopping block. But, you're right, the choice is hers. I think it hurts us just to see her struggling so much, and not allowing herself to just let go, be real and have fun. You're so level-headed that when you switch your roles, you anticipate it and rarely change your overall persona. But, as far as a midnight stroll on the shoreline, well, I'm not getting my hopes up for that or anything else. Shall we?" he indicated while motioning for the door.

She placed her arm inside of his, much as she likely would do forthcoming on her wedding day as he escorted her down the hall to the turbolift that they took to the holodeck, where they could hear the ruckus of the festivities as soon as they departed. As they approached the main doors, Kate slightly tightened her grip on Chakotay. She didn't like big celebrations, and he could immediately tell she was slightly apprehensive.

He leaned down and whispered in her ear. "I know you don't like celebrations, about as much as like I don't like them either. But we're all family here, so just have fun."

She turned to glance over at him. "Same goes for you, too, Captain," she added just as the doors to the holodeck slid open revealing a breathtaking, exotic tropical environment and an uproar of applause break out at her sudden appearance.

Neelix animatedly grabbed her as soon as she walked in the door. "Oooh, Commander, you look absolutely ravishing this evening," he stated while draping a beautiful red and purple lei around her neck.

"Thank you, Neelix, and please, it's just Kate when we're off-duty. Thank you for all you've done to make this evening so magical. This is so, so lovely."

He beamed with pride as he draped a lei around Chakotay's neck. Everyone's eyes were practically glued to their Captain and Commander, as they knew the rumor mill would be in full swing now. Neelix ordered the party to begin and everyone broke up into their little groups.

Tom, Harry and B'Elanna had been standing together when Chakotay and Kate walked in the door and they watched the fiasco with Neelix from afar.

"Hot damn," Paris stated. "She looks amazing," which resulted in a slap on the arm from his wife. "Sorry, I mean it's not that you don't look hot, too, honey, but I mean…"

She laughed. "I know, Tom. She does look breathtaking. I thought she was a dead-ringer for the Admiral, but I can definitely see some of Chakotay in her, too."

Harry ssh'ed them. "Guys, remember, not everyone knows about her connection to Chakotay. Keep it down."

"Well, if they don't figure it out tonight, they're going to think something else is going on with the two of them arriving so cozily together," Tom countered.

B'Elanna raised a quizzical eyebrow. "Well, based on some of my conversations with Kate, we need to somehow make sure that Chakotay leaves with the Admiral tonight."

Harry shook his head. "Speaking of which, where is she? I don't even see her here."

The three glanced around and suddenly realized that indeed the Admiral was missing in action. They couldn't react too out of character as Chakotay and Kate were fast approaching them.

"Cat got your tongue, Mr. Paris?" Chakotay asked.

"Uhh, no boss, I just. You look absolutely beautiful tonight, Commander," Paris stammered out attempting to change the subject. After Tom made his comment, Harry and B'Elanna all followed suit with comments on the Commander's appearance. Almost bashfully, she responded with appreciation. She soon left the trio and the Captain talking to mingle with many of the other guests, but she suddenly realized that someone was missing.

Kate saw Galina standing near the children's play area and she strode over. "I hope you're not assigning yourself as babysitter tonight, Ensign."

Ensign Amaez turned and her mouth dropped when she saw how different Kate looked out of her uniform. "Wow, Kate, you look incredible. And no, I just walked over to see what they had set up for the kids."

"You look quite lovely yourself, Galina. I saw Lt. Kim spying your way earlier."

"Oh, hush, Kate. You know I'm out of his league."

Kate shook her head and laughed. "I doubt that. Lt. Kim doesn't have the greatest track record for keeping a steady girlfriend. Hey, I have a question, have you noticed anyone who is missing tonight?"

Glancing around briefly, Galina's eyes locked with Kate's. "I wasn't going to say anything, but I haven't seen her at all and I've been here for a while. It's kind of odd, isn't it? I mean wasn't it her idea to throw this celebration as a thank you for your service and sacrifice?"

Kate nodded and glanced around again, this time catching Chakotay's eyes as she continued to scan the crowd. "That's what I thought, too, Galina, but it's really odd that she's not here," she muttered to Ensign Amaez but she couldn't shake the feeling that Chakotay was watching her every move. "I'll be right back."

Kate strode away from Ensign Amaez and was heading back towards Neelix when Chakotay stepped out in front of her. "I know who you're looking for. I just asked B'Elanna, too. No one has seen her all evening."

Kate was determined and Chakotay knew she was about to ask the computer to locate the Admiral but he shook his head. Kate side-stepped him as Neelix was making his rounds with a platter of food and was heading towards where Kate, Chakotay, Tom, Harry and B'Elanna all stood.

"Mr. Neelix," she stated before Chakotay could stop her. "I'm sorry to interrupt but do you happen to know where…" and she froze as the doors to the main holodeck slid open and there stood her mother.

"Holy shit," Kate muttered in sheer amazement at the transformation of Kathryn Janeway and the attire that she was wearing.

From behind her, she heard Chakotay inhale loudly along with gasps from B'Elanna, Tom and Harry. All were completely stunned not just by how she had styled her hair but let alone what she was wearing. Kate rolled her eyes towards Galina Amaez, whose mouth had literally fallen open, as had Mr. Neelix'. To say she looked stunning was an understatement. She looked smashing. Kate was truly mesmerized by the sheer beauty that still existed within her mother. She was so used to seeing her mother wear her Admiral's uniform or occasionally dressed down at her home, but she had never seen her dressed so fashionably.

Even at an older age, Kathryn Janeway still looked incredible. The flaming reddish hair had been toned down to a darker auburn and it was styled in a very professional looking manner. But her dress, which was tropical themed, was very, very form-fitting and quite low-cut. It was most definitely not Starfleet issue. She spun around and the look in Chakotay's eyes was all that Kate needed to see. He was beyond smitten. He had likely never seen Kathryn look like this either, and Kate couldn't hide the smirk on his face as she nudged him in the side and brought him back to reality.

"You better calm thyself down, Captain, or God only knows what might happen on that seashore tonight."

His eyes blared open and then down at her where he was met with a wicked smile from his own daughter. She glanced back towards where her mother was making her grand entrance, as she had obviously become the talk of the room, which was a relief to Kate. She just shook her head in sheer amazement, as she didn't think the great Admiral had it in her to dress in such a revealing manner. Kate couldn't help but speculate what the reason was behind this. Was this another game that the Admiral was playing, toying with her and trying to one-up her own daughter? Was she playing with Chakotay's mind and driving him insane? Or was this some sort of crazy fantasy where she truly had always wanted to let her hair down?

The Admiral wasn't dressed provocatively nor distastefully in any way. Her outfit was a bit more revealing than what anyone was used to seeing out of her, but it was nothing X-rated by any means either. Nonetheless, Kate, in some strange way, liked seeing this side of her mother. She slowly stepped away from Chakotay and the rest of the command team and made her way towards her mother.

"I was wondering if you were going to skip out on this event," Kate stated while reaching out to embrace her mother.

"Well, someone had some last minute accommodations that they wanted made, which required Mr. Neelix and I to put in some extra overtime, and it delayed me a little in getting ready. I'm sorry I wasn't here for your grand entrance. What do you think?"

She'd held out her hand and Kate took it allowing her mother to spin around to show off her full dress. Kate smiled when Kathryn faced her again. "Mom, I don't know what to say. You look incredible, absolutely amazing. You look so beautiful. Thank you for all your hard work. Thank you for everything. But, I've never seen you dressed like this, and it's good to see you let your guard down and show off your beautiful inner, and well outer self."

Kathryn smiled at her daughter and kissed her on the cheek. "No, my darling, you are the beautiful one both inside and out. You look like a perfect princess tonight. Pocahontas couldn't even compete with you."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Really? Pocahontas? Seriously, Mom, that's not even funny!" she added with a laugh. "I know a lot has happened over the past few weeks, and I know something has happened today and you better not be playing any sort of crazy games," she paused gazing at her mother for a reaction before she continued. "But, for once, listen to your heart, be the real Kathryn with no strings attached and have a great time tonight. If you won't do it for yourself, do it for me, okay?"

Kathryn took her daughter by the hand and reached out and touched her cheek with her free hand. "Always for you, honey."

Kate eyed her mother suspiciously until Neelix barged up and interrupted, which caused Kate to step away and retreat to a corner with Galina to continue their discussion. Kate was completely bewildered by her mother's transformation and she wanted to watch from afar how she and Chakotay may interact together this evening. Over the course of the next hour or so, Kate couldn't help but watch how her parents kept a distance from each other. From what she recalled, neither had even uttered a word to each other, but they neither could keep their eyes off of each other, especially Chakotay as he was following Kathryn's every move with great protection almost as if he had reverted to his days as being her First Officer.

B'Elanna strolled over towards Kate and pulled her to the side. "I've been watching them the whole evening. I know what you're thinking, and we have an idea of how to get them to actually speak."

Kate's curiosity was piqued. "Just why is that so important to all of you?"

B'Elanna understood the reason why Kate was asking her this. "Kate, all of us served with your parents for seven years on  _Voyager_  well before you even came along. They were in love with each other but dodged it at every step of the way. We saw how much they loved, cared and respected each other, and to be honest, I think all of us considered them to be the Mom and Dad over the ship and ultimately over us. We wanted them to be happy and ultimately knew they could be happy together if they'd just give it a try. So, now that we know at some point, they did obviously get together because along comes you, we want even more for them to get together. Obviously, I don't know how they feel about each other, but they can't keep their eyes off each other tonight. They are in love and somehow they need to unearth those feelings and see where things will lead. Their avoiding each other tonight is obvious like the plague, but we've got something planned but need your help."

Kate cocked her head sideways as she watched the Doctor, Tom, Harry and even Galina step up onto the stage.

"Oh no," Kate stated as B'Elanna glanced up at them.

"Come on, Kate. We have our very own  _Voyager_  band. Granted, we aren't the best, but if we can get you to sing with us, which Chakotay does on occasion, I think it might just bring them together and then who knows what may happen."

Kate rolled her eyes and pondered the idea for a moment. She glanced over to where Chakotay was standing mingling with some crew members and watched her mother doing the same but further away. It was now or never.

"Fine. I'm not singing right off the bat. You guys go ahead and start your show or whatever and I'll join in later, but this better work because I don't typically sing for just anyone."

B'Elanna winked at her and turned to walk away but Kate grabbed her by the arm.

"Wait! Did you say Chakotay sings with you guys some?"

B'Elanna laughed. "Actually yes, and he is quite good but he doesn't let many people know about his hidden talent."

Kate just shook her head as B'Elanna walked away. "These people never cease to amaze me," she mumbled to herself while eyeing Galina, who also had failed to tell Kate that she was a member of this little party band. As the band struck up their tunes, Kate made her way to the kid's area and played with them for a little while. She told them that she had been asked to sing a song and wanted their input on what she should sing. They were all excited and couldn't wait to hear her and gave her a number of suggestions. She told them to keep it a secret as it was going to be a surprise for the Admiral and the Captain, which made the kids all the more excited.

Tom gathered everyone to the middle and announced that they had a surprise guest who would be joining the band that evening. Everyone assumed it was going to be the Captain, as he had done that on one prior occasion, but when he didn't join them on stage, everyone started to speculate who it would be. The lights dimmed as Galina started playing some soft notes on the piano to a song from many years prior, and out of the darkness, as wispy clouds of smoke drifted up on the stage, their commander, Kate Janeway stepped forward breaking out into the infamous song entitled,  _Skyfall_.

As Kate sang through the first verse and chorus, the children crowded the stage and were mesmerized, as were most of the rest of the crew. As she was finishing the first verse, she couldn't help but additionally watch as both of her parents had made their way in to the outer skirts of the crowd watching her in sheer awe. She didn't pay much attention to the words of the first verse, but when she started to sing the words to the second verse and chorus, it hit her as to how appropriate and fitting they were for those two people. She glanced to her right where B'Elanna was singing with her, and she simply gave her a smile and nod to continue.

_Skyfall is where we start_

_A thousand miles and poles apart_

_Where worlds collide and days are dark_

_You may have my number, you can take my name_

_But you'll never have my heart_

_Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)_

_When it crumbles (when it crumbles)_

_We will stand tall (we will stand tall)_

_Face it all together_

_Let the sky fall (let the sky fall)_

_When it crumbles (when it crumbles)_

_We will stand tall (we will stand tall)_

_Face it all together_

_At sky fall_

Approaching the latter verses, B'Elanna stepped closer to Kate as she had noticed something in the crowd. She noticed that the Admiral had moved to stand directly beside of Chakotay, and she didn't think Kate had noticed because she was so wrapped up in the song. As Kate was about to sing the final tag line, which ultimately defined her parents, B'Elanna nudged her to watch them carefully.

_Where you go I go_

_What you see I see_

_I know I'd never be me_

_Without the security_

_Of your loving arms_

_Keeping me from harm_

_Put your hand in my hand_

_And we'll stand_

As Kate sang that portion, she and B'Elanna watched Kathryn as she glanced upward at Chakotay knowing those words were so appropriate. Anywhere she went, Chakotay went. Whatever she saw, he saw. She never felt complete except when she was secure and safe in his arms. Instinctively, she reached for his hand and held it in hers. He looked down at her and beamed with pride.

If B'Elanna and Kate hadn't been watching, they wouldn't have picked up on the motion as it was so swift and so faint. They were in the midst of a packed crowd and it was hard to even notice they were holding each other hands and looking deep in to each other's eyes, but Kate and B'Elanna had witnessed it all and as they continued the song, they couldn't help but smile and wink at each other. The sky might just fall tonight and crumble, but Kate knew that those two would face whatever came their way together.

As she finished the song, the kids erupted in to a loud cheer. They really had no idea what she sang, but they were just overjoyed to see Miss Katie singing. After continued pestering, Tom convinced her to stay up on stage and sing some more with the group. At first she protested, but she finally caved to them and continued singing a variety of other songs much to the delight of the rest of the crew.

Chakotay eventually released Kathryn's hand but instead, he wrapped his arm around her lower waist and pulled her closer to him slightly. They still hadn't really spoken, but the looks they shared spoke volumes. In some ways, it was the sound of their daughter's voice that had brought them back together. Seeing how relaxed she was, how at peace she was, how she melded with their crew so well, it was a large family reunion in many ways, and having her sing a song that touched both of their hearts, brought them together to watch her perform and ultimately charm the entire  _Voyager_  family.

The way Mr. Neelix and Mr. Paris had designed the tropical atmosphere had the band's stage situated in a park that sat right on a boardwalk with the ocean and beach behind the stage and miles and miles of shoreline for everyone and anyone to explore. Some of the kids were covered in sand and others were soaked from their waterpark and dips in the clear blue waters. To Kate, this truly felt like being back on Earth on some tropical island with the breeze blowing in her hair. After a few moments, she noticed that her parents had left the crowded grassy area where many of the other crew members had sat down or were eating their dinners and mingling. It was a relaxing atmosphere, and deep down, she was excited at the possibility that the two of them had vanished together.

As Paris came back up to the microphone, Kate stepped over towards B'Elanna who spoke up, "I saw them leave together and head that way. Looks like Chakotay was taking her on a stroll on the boardwalk or maybe even the beach."

Kate smiled and glanced at the entire band who all had their fingers crossed, even Ensign Amaez, who Kate hadn't completely been truthful with, also seemed excited over the possibility that romance was in the air.

"Let's not get our hopes up, B'Elanna, but let's allow them some privacy, as well."

Paris stepped back and joked, "I don't think you really want to see where you came from, do you?"

Kate popped him on the arm harder than she anticipated, which caused some laughter from the crowd as they really had no idea what was transpiring. "No! I do NOT need to witness that first hand and neither do you, Mr. Paris. But, we will all see tomorrow, how their moods are, especially the Captain's when he comes on the bridge and I think we'll have our answer, and maybe you can cash in on your bets, Paris."

Paris knew he was going to like Kate. She was serious about her job, but she had a playful side to her that he knew he could joke around with and have fun. She had a little more edge to her than her mother or her father. This was going to be a fun voyage up ahead.

Chakotay still hadn't uttered a word as he and Kathryn strolled silently down the boardwalk together. He reached out and took her by the hand again, which caused her to slightly look up at him. He smiled down at her with one of those smiles that just made her want to eat him. "Want to walk out on the beach?"

It was the first thing he had uttered all evening towards her, and she simply nodded in return allowing him to lead the way. However they had designed it, as they stepped foot out on to the gorgeous tropical sandy beach, the sun slowly began its descent into the crystal blue waters across the horizon. Chakotay had no idea if this was based on some real tropical island somewhere, but this was his tropical paradise and he had the woman that he loved at his side.

Kathryn watched as the sun reflected across the blue waters and she gasped. "This is so, so lovely, Chakotay."

He smiled down at her as he watched the water reflect and sparkle in her crystal blue eyes. "No, Kathryn, you are lovely."

She paused and then ever so slowly turned her head allowing her eyes to meet his where she saw a look she'd only ever witnessed one or two other times. His eyes were filled with such passion and hunger and burning with a desire that caused her to ache internally.

"Chakotay," she barely breathed out of her mouth as his eyes were so powerful in studying her entire body that she could hardly breathe.

He gently reached up and cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand. "I've never seen you look more breathtaking than you do tonight. You are beyond beautiful."

He let his hand linger on her face as she turned her face to rest in the palm of his hand. Her eyes filled with tears as she could see the sincerity in his look, as well as the passion.

"Thank you," she barely could speak. She placed her right hand on his chest toying with the collar of his shirt and smirked. "You look pretty dashing yourself, Chakotay. Black shirts on you always did drive me a little crazy."

He stopped her before she could continue as he didn't want things to get too out of hand too fast.

"Come on, let's walk a little further."

He couldn't keep his eyes off of her and that dress. His mind was wandering to places that it didn't need to go, and he kept reminding himself to slow the pace, as he had no idea where Kathryn's thoughts lay concerning him, ultimately them. They continued to hold hands as they walked down the shore. Kathryn pulled him a little closer to the water so she could get her feet wet as they continued to walk away from where the party was continuing to unfold. She could feel his gaze upon her body, and she began to wonder if even she should've worn the dress.

A little ways down the beach, they found a secluded tiki bar, where they popped in and ordered a few drinks. They didn't recognize any of the other patrons as being part of their crew, so they felt they were pretty much isolated with other holograms. They elected to take their drinks out onto the patio and continue to watch the sun set. Chakotay noticed a few other men glance in Kathryn's direction, and he placed his arm around her almost as if he were marking his territory and daring them to cross the line. The tiki bar had a band playing as well, and when they started to play a slow, melodious tune, Chakotay shocked Kathryn by asking her to dance. As they spun slowly around the dance floor, their bodies were pressed close together and Kathryn felt beyond secure and safe. In that instance, any hesitation she ever felt vanished. All the chats she'd had with her sister about this man and how Phoebe kept telling Kathryn she was utterly crazy for letting him go, came rushing back to her and she knew she had been crazy. She knew this was where she wanted to spend the rest of her life, yet she didn't think Chakotay could possibly ever forgive her for the way she had treated him over the years, let alone for lying to him and hiding their child from him.

Sensing her mind drifting, Chakotay pulled her back out to the shoreline and they continued to walk before she stopped walking and stood directly in front of him. Without her heels on, their height difference was noticeable, but he could tell she wanted to say something.

"Chakotay," she started and stopped, hesitating over the next words and how to proceed. "Tonight, I've realized, actually I confirmed for myself, that this is where I want to be. This is where I want to spend the rest of my life. To hell with Starfleet and their damn protocols. I've let a good thing slip through my grasp for many, many years because I was too stubborn and hard-headed to open my eyes and let my heart lead me. Maybe I was scared of losing control and ultimately I was terrified because of my past, which I shared with you in that personal log entry. But nonetheless, I made a wrong, wrong choice back on New Earth when I slammed the door on us. I want us, Chakotay. I want you more than anything. I love you with every fathom of my heart, mind, body and soul. I don't want to spend another day without you. But, I've hurt you in so many ways and continue to lash out at you. I hurt you by denying you so many times. I hurt you by accusing you of things that you never did. But ultimately, I lied to you about my, our daughter. I don't know how you could ever forgive me enough to even want to spend any time with me. I just know that I love you more than life, and I'm ready to quit Starfleet if that means I can spend my life with you."

Chakotay was about ready to cry himself as this was his Kathryn talking, and he knew it was coming from her heart. He cupped her face in both of his hands and stared deep into her eyes almost as if he were reading her soul.

"Kathryn, what you just said is something I've been waiting years to hear you say. I fell in love with you the first moment I stepped onboard  _Voyager_  when I was still a member of the Maquis. When you stepped up in to my personal space. I loved your bravery, your daring courage. You were beyond fearless and beyond charming. Over the course of the years, I kept longing for you, and when we were trapped on New Earth, I almost felt as if my fantasy was becoming reality. I was beyond prepared to spend the rest of my days with you on New Earth, and no matter how stubborn you were in abiding by Starfleet protocols, I knew deep down in your soul, that you had a longing and a need for satisfaction and completion.

"Yes, there were times we both found satisfaction in other areas, but it was because we were both too scared to allow our true feelings to collide. Uniting Janeway and Chakotay was a powerful experience, and I truly felt that time stood still and that the universe shifted. I was never the same again after that evening on your birthday. That's one reason I wrote the Angry Warrior Story in words in your card. I meant every word I had said on New Earth, and I wanted that to always ring true. It's with you that I've only ever found true peace. It's always you whose needs would come first. It's always you who I would risk my life to protect. I love you, Kathryn. I always have. I always will.

"There is no one else who can capture my heart quite like you have. While it was hard for me to digest the reality of the fact that I have a child, actually a grown woman as a daughter, I've accepted that, and I've pushed it behind me. We have her now, Kathryn, and that's what's most important. We love her now all the more. I don't hate you nor does it change how I feel about you for not telling me. I will still affirmatively stand my ground and say that Phoebe and Gretchen need to know, but you have to make that decision. I'm tired of us fighting and bickering. It's time to let all the tension go. You don't have to quit Starfleet because I've already committed to retiring as soon as this mission is over. Maybe I'll then work at the Academy and teach classes or else I'll just transition into the housewife role. But either way, I want you by my side. I want to wake up with you in my arms each morning. I want to see that glorious smile every single day. I want to hold you and make love to you the way that you deserve to be held and loved. I love you, Kathryn Janeway, my Captain, my Admiral, but most importantly,  _my_  Kathryn."


	15. Chapter 15

Before he had even finished his speech, tears were flowing freely down Kathryn's cheeks. She regretted the years they had wasted apart, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt, that she could be herself with him. She could let her guard down and be vulnerable. She'd been the strong one for so many years who had to protect so many other people that deep down she ached, like any other woman for a man who would hold her in his arms and protect her. And, she had that with Chakotay for many, many years. After he finished speaking, they stared into each other's eyes for a long time before she practically fell into his arms. She sobbed against his neck – tears of sadness being erased with tears of joy and even relief. Just hearing him say how much he loved her, it was all she needed, and the same held true for him. Actually hearing those words come from her mouth meant more to him than anything else as it brought about a sense of healing.

He eventually pulled her back and stared at her. The sun had finally set and the moon was glistening off the waters with the stars twinkling above them. It was as if a magical spell had been cast over them. He couldn't resist the urge any longer and he softly placed featherlike kisses on her cheek before capturing her lips in his. The kiss was soft and slow initially, as if they were kissing for the first time, but it was Kathryn who made the move to deepen the kiss. They both felt something stirring within them and knew that tonight was going to take on an entirely new twist.

Breaking the kiss, once they ran out of air, Chakotay breathed hard and said to her, "Kathryn, that dress is driving me out of my mind."

She chuckled. "I promise you, I didn't do it on purpose, but I'm glad it captured your attention." She allowed her eyes to travel up and down his body and realized it had gotten his attention. "Ah, in more ways than one, it got your attention."

He growled at her, almost animalistic like, and in some weird and exotic way, it turned Kathryn on all the more. She gave him a wicked smirk.

"Phoebe said I was crazy for not making mad passionate love to you each and every day on New Earth," he cut her off with a raised eyebrow.

"Phoebe? You talked to your sister about me, about us?"

She laughed. "She knows how I feel. She doesn't know about Kate, but she knows that I'm in love with you. That I've been in love with you for a long time. She called me an idiot, crazy, stupid, you name it, she called me it for not hooking up with you sooner. However, she never told me you met her, and I'm not sure I even want to know what the two of you talked about. But she, I can only imagine, was smitten by you, as well."

He smirked at her and did something she never expected, he swept her off her feet. "Hey, what can I say, I know how to charm all the Janeway women."

As she was in his arms, she couldn't help but smile. "You may can charm us all, but you're only allowed to have one of us, and you better choose carefully, Captain."

He spun her around in his arms as if he were carrying his princess with pride. "That's an easy choice, Kathryn. I have the most beautiful Janeway woman in my arms right now and I intend to make her mine forever and eternity."

He was heading towards the water and she practically squealed out like a child. "Chakotay, no, please! Don't you dare throw me in the water."

He stopped right at the water's edge and acted as if he was going to throw her in, but stopped short as she practically clawed at his neck trying to climb higher on his body to avoid the water. He'd likely have marks to remember that by! Finally, she burst out into a fit of giggles, which practically melted his heart because he loved to hear her rich laughter and see the large smile that echoed across her face, but her giggles almost revealed the inner child that existed somewhere deep within her. This playful side of him, Kathryn wasn't quite accustomed to as he acted like a kid in a candy store, but she absolutely adored it. He eventually put her back down so she was standing in front of him and he turned her so her back was towards him as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her up against him tightly.

They stared across the horizon and he said, "Watch right there," as he pointed to just where the moon was mid-sky level. As they stood there staring at the horizon, a star shot across and lit up the night sky just briefly in a colorful array. She gasped.

"That was so beautiful! How did you know that would happen?" she questioned.

He laughed. "I didn't. Actually, I think it's a glitch in the system because I've seen the stars moving more rapidly than they should be. But who knows, maybe it is a shooting star. You better make a wish."

She spun around, still locked in his arms, "I don't need to make a wish, Chakotay, because my wish has already come true. I have you and I have our daughter. That's all I need in what's left of my life."

He smiled that gorgeous smile, "And, as far as I'm concerned, that will be a very long life, Kathryn."

She briefly lay her head on his chest over his heart listening to it beat and feeling the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. While she was resting her head against him, she seductively swayed her lower body against him, which caused him to growl in response.

"Kathryn…" he was barely able to get out of his mouth.

She pulled back and slightly walked away from him because she wanted to feel his eyes on her body again. The heat from which he devoured her with his look caused her to have sensations all throughout her body that she had not had in years, very likely since the first and last time they had been together. She smirked at him as she sashayed a few steps up and down the beach and glanced back over her shoulder to look at him as she walked a few steps further away.

He followed suit and she stopped. "Like something you see, Captain?"

Instinctively, he grabbed her hand and led her down the beach. Her eyes widened as if she was shocked by his sudden movement.

"Chakotay?" she questioned as she recognized his hurried pace.

"I saw a secluded spot down the shore a little ways back. Come on, I can't wait much longer."

Fear and excitement shot through her veins. They were on the holodeck but the passion was so intense between the two of them, they didn't even realize it. They acted like two love struck teenagers. At any moment someone from their crew could show up and intercept them, but in the back of her mind, Kathryn had all ideas that if Kate knew they were missing, she'd likely order everyone off the beaches for some unknown reason. Chakotay led her to a semi-hidden spot that was tucked back up under some palm trees with a hidden cove where the water crept all the way up almost like a river.

Coincidentally, it must have been a relatively popular spot during the daylight as there was an abundance of lounge chairs, towels, mats, etc. Chakotay stepped closer to her eyeing her suspiciously. When he saw the slight hesitation in her eyes, he bent down and kissed her with such a fury that her knees nearly collapsed underneath her. After breaking the kiss, he stepped back and stared at her as the moonlight cast an elegant shimmer over the plunging neckline of her dress. Her breath caught again in the back of her throat, as his look was that of pure hunger.

To say she was nervous was an understatement. She wasn't worried about making love with him, but out in the open in an area where they had left their entire crew a while back, she almost felt vulnerable on some levels. But she knew she could trust him, and a wave of adventure struck her in a way she had never felt before. Watching him move things around with such ease, she was awestruck at how his muscles ripped, even at his age. She felt herself craving him more and more every passing second. Finally, Chakotay found a relatively large blanket and spread it down on the sandy beach. After straightening out the wrinkles he stood up and turned around to face Kathryn. When he did, his jaw practically hit the ground. Instead of allowing him the pleasure of undressing her, she had completely dropped her dress and allowed it to pool around her feet, leaving her completely naked in front of him as she had not worn any under clothes. A wicked smirk spread across her face as she studied his reaction.

Finally after shaking the cobwebs from his head, he stepped towards her.

"Spirits, Kathryn," was all he could breathe out. "Did you plan this?"

She laughed, "No, my dress was so damn tight, I couldn't get in it with anything else underneath, but I'm glad it worked out this way because I think the Captain sees something he desires."

Before she could finish her sentence, he had pulled her against him in a wild kiss. His hands were running through her hair and traveling up and down her body. When his slid his forefinger down the side of her body and underneath one of her breasts, she audibly gasped and breathed his name in to his mouth.

"Chakotay."

Carefully he lay her down on the blanket, as if he had done this on many occasions. He was so tender and so compassionate making sure to take precious care of her. This would not be a rushed love-making session. It would not be forceful. He was going to take his time and cherish this memory, much as they had done many years ago. After absolutely torturing her by touching and kissing practically every inch of her body, except the place she craved the most, Chakotay knew he couldn't hold out much longer himself.

As he shed his own clothes, he watched as Kathryn's eyes studied him, almost as if she were memorizing every single inch about him, and that's when he noticed she was smiling almost humorously.

"Admiral, has something tickled your fancy?"

She winked at him, "Well, Captain, I was just remembering one other time we were on this holodeck in Mr. Paris' designed replication of Sandrine's in Paris. That evening when I came in and joined the crew for a round of pool and I vaguely remembering asking for your stick. Well, Captain, I think it's high time you deliver the real stick to me, and now!"

He pounced on top of her just like she expected some wild banshee to do. She had excited something deep within him. "Kathryn," he paused and looked deep into her eyes as if he was reading her inner soul.

She knew what he was going to ask. "I'm sure, Chakotay. I'm beyond sure."

He smiled and showed off those gorgeous dimples before kissing her again. After a few more rounds of exploration, they united again and became one. As they were about to reach their full crescendo of lovemaking and just as Kathryn was breathing out his name and he hers, something that sounded like thunder erupted in the distance. She slightly turned her head to see that a gigantic fireworks display had erupted way down the shoreline, more than likely close by where their crew were all celebrating their daughter. Laying down beside her on the blanket and holding her in his arms, he couldn't help but chuckle.

"Some timing there, huh?"

She tore her eyes away from the colorful display lighting up the horizon and placed a kiss on his luscious lips.

"Sometimes I think Kate has psychic powers."

He raised both of his eyebrows. "You think she had something to do with this?"

She shook her head. "Well, I think she and the rest of the crew have been conspiring on how to get the two of us back together. I think Tom and B'Elanna somehow convinced her to sing tonight knowing that it would draw us together. And we just vanish off into thin air and at the height of our lovemaking, we are greeted with a fireworks display. The timing is a little ironic, isn't it?"

He ran his hands through her hair which wasn't as long as it was on New Earth, but nonetheless, it was still Kathryn's hair, and she was wrapped in his arms. They lay in silence for a little while longer.

"Did you know she could sing, Kathryn?"

She shook her head, "No, that's one thing she never told me she could do. She certainly doesn't get that from me."

He laughed, "You always did say you had a passion for music and wanted to learn to play an instrument, so maybe somehow she is living our dreams for us. I'm just glad they didn't make me get up there and sing."

Kathryn raised up slightly and looked down at him. "You sing? Last I remember from the  _Voyager_ talent night all those years ago, the then Commander Chakotay wouldn't get up in front of anyone."

He chuckled at her. "Maybe there are some things about me that I've kept secret from you, too, because I do sing on occasion."

"What!" she practically exclaimed in utter excitement. "Chakotay!"

He laughed. "I'm not singing for you now, so just drop it, Kathryn. Weren't the words of the song she chose to sing rather ironic – let the sky fall, we'll face it all together, where you go, I go, what you see, I see…"

She interrupted and continued, "I'm never me without the security of your loving arms that have always kept me from harm…" she paused to reflect back on what she said. "Does she possess some sort of Native American skills that I'm not aware of? I mean just how does she always know what to say or do at practically all times?"

He tilted her face up towards him. "No, there's no secret Native American tricks that she possesses, at least none that I'm aware of. She's a miracle, Kathryn. She's our gift from above. She's a combination of the two of us. So while she has that wild and rebellious Janeway streak within her, she somehow possesses those calming Native American traits. She has an equal blend and somehow she knows how to tune in to those aspects of her life. She promised me that we shouldn't get together or do anything along those lines just to appease her, which I promised her that wouldn't be the case. She loves you so much, Kathryn."

She smiled faintly. "But, I've hurt her in ways that no mother should ever hurt their child, Chakotay. I don't know how she could ever trust or love me completely. I never should've done half the stuff I did to her. You two have grown close and I'm grateful for that. And you're right, I do need to take her to see Mom and Phoebe, but I want you to go with us because I'm not sure how Phoebe in particular is going to react. If she blows a gasket, I'm afraid of what Kate might do, let alone what I might do."

He couldn't help but chuckle. "I've had that same thought. While you and Phoebe could have an all-out war, I'm afraid that if Phoebe goes on the attack against you, Kate might come out raging. She's got that possessive and protective instinct like I do, and when those that we love are in harm's way, we will lash out. She is very protective over you, Kathryn, whether you realize that or not. But, you don't need to worry about the things of the past as Kate's moved on from that. She just wants you to be happy and to be you. She wants to know you as her mother and that's all she wants."

"I know," she said before she rolled herself practically so she was laying on top of him. Gently she reached out and traced his tattoo with her index finger something she had always dreamed of doing and what she spent a good while doing on her birthday evening all those years ago. "Will she have to get a tattoo?"

He furrowed his brows in confusion wondering where the question was coming from. "No, she doesn't have to. It's not a requirement to have one. Should she want one, she could get one and it doesn't have to be on her face. But no, she doesn't have to nor have I or will I even suggest that. If she wants one, she will have to inquire about it, as it is merely something I did to honor my father and my ancestry. But why do you ask? Would you not want her to have one if she wanted one? Has she said something about it?"

She shook her head. "No, I mean, yours, well it adds sex appeal to you, but I don't think it'd look good on Kate's face. She's got her own inner beauty that exudes through to coincide with her natural beauty. And, no, she's never mentioned a word to me about it. I was just merely curious."

He smiled and gave her a light kiss. "I can't wait until she gets married. She's going to look like an angel."

"Oh, so you've given her permission to get married?"

He made a noise. "What? You don't like Michael? Is there something I need to know about? Is he…" and he was cut-off as she kissed him.

"You ask too many questions, Captain. I like the paternal side of you. But, no, Michael is wonderful. He is eccentric in some ways, but he is in some strange manner a perfect gentleman for her. I just assumed you'd rather wait and give your blessing first before walking her down the aisle."

He laughed, "Well, if he already has her mother's approval, I suppose that is good enough for me."

She enjoyed resting on top of him and just staring into his eyes and tracing his tattoo over and over. In some strange and exotic way, he was getting turned on again, and she could sense it.

"Kathryn," he started but stopped.

She put a finger over his lips. "I know and as much as I want to again here on the beach, maybe we should take things back to your quarters."

He raised an eyebrow and kissed her again with much passion. "That sounds like a plan to me, Admiral."

She stood up and started to get dressed. "You like calling me Admiral don't you?"

He snuck up behind her to help her with her dress, as he had pretty much finished getting dressed. "It's kind of a turn-on to have someone more powerful in rank in your bed."

She spun around quickly. "Chakotay!"

He suddenly realized that his choice of words came out incorrectly. "Wait!" he said and held up his hands, "I didn't mean it to sound like that because it has nothing to do with the chain of command and how I have felt towards you all along."

She laughed and got up in his personal space. "Kind of like playing prisoner and the guard? Or something where one has more control than the other? Good cop, bad cop? I know it has nothing to do with Admiral/Captain or Captain/Commander because what we feel for each other is Kathryn and Chakotay."

He grabbed her by the arms and made her stand still. "If you keep swaying yourself against me like that, I won't be able to walk out of this holodeck with a straight face."

She smirked and added, "Well, we could do a direct site-to-site transport."

He shook his head. "No, ma'am, you aren't escaping that easily. I think you need to bid your daughter a goodnight." Her eyes narrowed and he laughed before continuing. "What? You scared someone's going to notice that your hair is slightly askew and that maybe you have sand trapped in between your…"

"Chakotay! Shut up!" she added and then burst out into rich laughter.

If anyone had seen the two of them, they would have thought these two grown adults were acting like two love struck teenagers. Their lives had done a 180 in a matter of seconds, but they had found an ultimate peace and contentment that had been bottled up for so many years.

Checking her out once more in that dress, he took her by the hand and led her back down the shoreline as the fireworks were winding down. "You really like the dress, huh?"

"I just can't quite explain how that dress makes me feel. When you walked in to the holodeck earlier, I thought I was going to pass out. You, my darling, are a sight to behold. I want to capture this moment forever."

She laughed, "Well, I'm sure Mr. Neelix or the Doctor one likely captured some pictures, so maybe if we're lucky, we'll get some copies and you can put it on the shelf with that other photo from years gone by. He did fortunately snag that one of the three of us when we briefly got together. I'm not sure how it'll turn out, but those two have a knack for photography."

"We have plenty of time, Kathryn," he stated simply while placing a final kiss on her lips. Before taking her hand and leading her back down to the shore. They continued their walk down the beach in silence. Kathryn was initially holding Chakotay's hand, but she soon broke free and wrapped her arm around his lower back, which he reciprocated by doing the same to her. In that moment, they didn't care any longer if their entire crew saw them wrapped up together. They were so much in love that nothing else in the universe could possibly even matter.

As they approached the area where they had left the party in full swing, they noticed how awfully quiet it was and it appeared that everyone had left.

"How late is it?" Kathryn asked Chakotay in slight bewilderment that everyone had already left.

He chuckled. "I guess it must be later than we assumed. Maybe the fireworks show was the grand finale of the evening, except for us, of course."

She snuggled closer to his side forgetting momentarily where they were. They glanced around the party area and Kathryn's eyes settled on a small table that had a candle burning and some items strewn about on it. She let go of Chakotay's side and walked towards it with him following her pace a few seconds later.

"What's all that, Kathryn?" he asked sensing the look of confusion etched upon her face.

On the table, a solitary candle was lit and on either side of the candle was a framed photograph of Kathryn and Chakotay that had been taken that evening with neither of them aware of it. They were neither posing for a picture but instead they were staring into each other's eyes. It was a very candid yet extremely romantic photograph, and it had been captured and framed for each of them. Also on the table was a bouquet of gorgeous flowers, some light refreshments and a bottle of "Antarian Cider?" Chakotay said in a shocking tone has he reached out for the bottle.

Kathryn eyed him conspicuously wondering just what had happened while they were gone. Then they found a note that was left behind and she read it aloud:

" _To the Admiral and the Captain, We hate you missed out on half of the party tonight, but we left you what little food remained, along with a bottle of your special cider to mark such an occasion. We hope that this evening was as exciting for the two of you as it was for all of us. Thank you both for all you've done for Voyager over the years. While this was a party initially for Commander Janeway, we ultimately know that this is Voyager's final mission, and it was ultimately our farewell party. Thank you for being the influence in our lives over all these years. Enjoy every moment that the two of you can share together and always know that your crew supports you every single step of the way. Here's to Kathryn and Chakotay and to the future. With love, Your Voyager Senior Officers and the rest of the Voyager Crew."_

She turned to find a rather somber looking Chakotay peering over her shoulder as she concluded reading the handwritten note. The reality that they all knew this was  _Voyager's_  last mission hit home on a deeply personal level. But to realize how much the crew cherished the both of them made it a little bit easier to take. He knew that when they returned the supplies to Deep Space Nine, then they would ultimately return to Earth were  _Voyager_  would be officially retired and scrapped as the new  _Voyager_  would soon thereafter take to the skies. It was a bittersweet evening on many levels.

As they collected their items and trinkets to take back with them, Kathryn picked up the framed photos and an envelope fell off the back of the frame. She lay the frames back down and carefully opened the envelope where she pulled out a photo of herself, Chakotay and Kate. She inhaled sharply which caused Chakotay, who had already taken a few steps away from her to turn in response.

"Kathryn?" he asked inquisitively.

He saw tears well up in her eyes as he noticed she was looking at something and then reading something else. He stepped back to her side and saw the picture.

"Chakotay, it's beautiful. We hadn't even spoken at that point, but look at how well this turned out. My God, she is so beautiful," she said while rubbing her daughter's face on the picture.

"Just like her mother," he added while leaning down to kiss her cheek. "What's the note say?"

Kathryn pulled out the note and read it aloud:

" _While you two were off frolicking in the sandy beaches, we continued our celebration and I made sure Neelix gave these pictures exclusively to me since most of the crew doesn't realize that connection yet. But, of course, you needed copies, so these are for the two of you. I hope your reunion tonight was as magical as it was 30 years ago. Love to you both, Kate."_

Chakotay couldn't help but laugh at how Kathryn's eye's blared. "She knows…" she whispered.

"They all likely know, Kathryn. We weren't quite as discreet as we could have been, but I don't really care any longer. And, it's very apparent that the crew supports us no matter what."

Eventually, they collected all their items and strolled out of the holodeck ending the program as they departed. While Kathryn and Chakotay were en route to his quarters, she realized that she didn't have any clothes for the morning.

"Chakotay, I need to stop by my quarters to get some clothes because I cannot wear this dress again."

He chuckled, "You can wear that dress every single day for the rest of your life and it'd be just fine by me. Aren't you glad I decided to put your quarters next to mine?"

She shook her head in confusion. "Yes, but when I was the captain, your quarters as the commanders were next door to mine. Why did you change it and put Kate on a different floor?"

He laughed as they stepped inside her quarters and he deposited some of the items. "It wasn't my decision. Our previous First Officer had his quirks and to be honest, it was odd. He felt the captain and commander shouldn't reside on the same floor for fear of some enemy attack and it wiping us both out. To an extent, I understood where he was coming from, but I also thought it was the job of the commander to protect the captain. But he didn't see it that way. After he left, and when we picked up Kate, we didn't have the guest quarters here ready, so we put her on the other deck in his old quarters. It was always my intention to relocate her back here, but then you came along…"

Seductively, she walked back across the room and wrapped her arms around him. "And is that a problem, Captain?" she asked in such a sultry tone that he nearly dropped the bouquet of flowers that he was holding.

Setting the flowers down on the table, he turned and lifted her straight vertical into the air. She was amazed at his physical strength because she was not anywhere near the size she used to be when she was the captain. A wicked smirk came over his face and she wondered what was going through his mind.

"If my memory serves me correctly, Admiral, we already blessed the captain's quarters, but the commanders quarters were left out. I think we should rectify that and immediately."

She glanced down into his eyes, which were about level with her breasts. "Chakotay, if this is a power struggle, I can guarantee you that the Admiral will always win."

She said it with a wicked tone in her voice and he immediately threw her over his shoulder, which nearly caused her to scream in delight. "I don't think so, Admiral. You might outrank me in Starfleet guidelines, but I can show you a thing or two that may change your mind about who holds the power," he added while walking them straight in to her bedroom.

He released her so that she stood in front of him and a look of shock was registering on her face. She tried to force herself closer to his body swaying her hips as she moved, but he held out his hands and stopped her while his eyes returned their attentive gaze upon her body. She felt he was practically undressing her with his eyes, and the sheer thought sent her body into overdrive. He knew the affect he had on her, and he knew it was driving her out of her mind, which ultimately meant she was no longer in control of the situation, and Kate was right, it was all about control.

"Control, Kathryn. That's what it's always been, and that's what you're afraid of – losing control. You've always been the top dog, the one who needs to save and protect everyone else. You don't like it when others take control, as it belittles you to some extent. And while I'm not saying I won't let you control me one evening, tonight, you're releasing your control to me. You're going to allow someone else to love you, protect and save you, and that will be me, and it starts right now."

She felt as if he had placed some sort of Native American trance on her as she felt absolutely paralyzed by him. She couldn't speak or feel let alone even move. His eyes and his voice had captured her and she had completely relinquished any sort of command rules to him without so much as doing a thing. Realizing she was paralyzed, he moved closed to her and touched her cheek with his hand.

"Kathryn, my love, I know part of you is terrified because of your past, but we have to let that go and not trap us. But you've let your ability to control every situation be what blocks you from reliving that pain. So, can you let me have control tonight?"

Her mouth fell open but no words came out. She couldn't even nod her head, but she finally found it within her to slightly nod her head. He smirked in response and the twinkle in his dark chocolate eyes was setting her on fire. Ever so gently, he continued to close their space and pressed her up against him ensuring that she could feel everything about him and he feel everything about her.

"As much as I like this dress, Kathryn, I didn't like the way the men at that tiki bar were ogling over you. So, as much as you and I both like this dress, it is one that should only be meant for me. I'll give you your replicator rations back because for now, no one else is going to ever see you in this dress."

Kathryn was alarmed with how quickly his tone had changed from loving to possessive and controlling. It was almost as if a raging bear had been awoken inside of him. She tried to summon the courage to speak.

"Are you sure that your spirit animal isn't a bear?"

He let out a quick laugh. "No, it's not, Kathryn, but that doesn't mean the bear doesn't best represent me as an individual at times – overprotective, powerful, strong, fierce."

She was seeing a side of him that she wasn't quite used to seeing before, and in some strange realm of the world, it was exciting yet also slightly frightening. As she stood there about to ask him something else, she stared at him intently as if she were studying his prowess. Maybe he was hungry, she wasn't sure but she suddenly felt like she was about to become his dinner, and when he practically ripped her dress off of her, she couldn't help but let out a gasp and inhale sharply. When she reacted in this manner, it brought him back to a reality as the look that washed over him was almost fear – fear that he had hurt her, scared her or frightened her, fear of the realization that this could be too similar to what she faced at the hands of the Cardassians.

"I'm sorry, Kathryn. I didn't mean to startle you. Did I hurt you?" he asked with such tenderness and compassion that it nearly broke Kathryn's heart as she knew that he was recalling her personal log that she had transmitted to him and their discussion about her torture at the hands of the Cardassians from all those years ago.

She smiled and shook her head. "No, I just never have known you could be so fierce. You've always been the calm one. Is this the Angry Warrior side coming out?"

He smirked at her and she knew he was living in his fantasy world. "And the only way the Angry Warrior can have peace is satisfying the beautiful woman from the neighboring tribe," he stated before picking her up and placing her down in the center of the bed.

Over the course of the next few hours, Kathryn and Chakotay made mad passionate love. The first round was super intense and very physical, and when they had recovered, he calmed things down and slowed the pace for several more rounds. It was a night that neither would ever forget. Chakotay had forced all of Kathryn's demons out of her and ultimately erased from her memory the names of any other person she had likely been with because nothing compared to her time with her Angry Warrior. Eventually, lost with the time of day, the two fell into a deep sleep intertwined in each other's arms.

**Location:** _**USS Voyager** _ **Bridge**

Commander Kate Janeway strode off the turbolift and on to the bridge with pride. It was good to be back at work after a few days off for recovery. Paris, Kim, Tuvok and Torres were already on duty. Paris was in the command chair, which he quickly vacated as Kate stepped down on to the command level of the bridge.

"Good morning, Commander," Paris greeted with a sneaky look displayed upon his face.

She returned his look with an equally sneaky expression of her own. "Good morning, everyone. Is the Captain in his ready room already?"

Paris quickly glanced towards Torres and the other bridge crew. "Uhh, no, ma'am. It's rather odd because the captain usually beats us all to the bridge, but no one has heard from him yet this morning. Do you want me to ask the computer to locate him or contact him?"

Kate's hands went instinctively to rest on her hips, which none of the bridge crew failed to miss as it reminded them of her mother. A wide smile broke out across her face and they all knew she was thinking the same thing they were thinking.

"While it may be tempting to know his whereabouts, Mr. Paris, I think we should just let him have a day-off or give him a tardy slip when he arrives. That sound alright to everyone?"

B'Elanna had stood up and replied, "I think that's probably the wisest course of action, and not to mention, Commander, you are beyond qualified to handle this ship."

Kate nodded and seated herself in her seat, not assuming the captain's chair. "Mr. Kim, how far away from the reserves are we?"

"Approximately 15 minutes, ma'am, sir, commander, uhh…" Kim hesitated.

Kate laughed, "Mr. Kim, as I recall you also had a similar issue with trying to figure how to refer to my mother. While I'm not as picky as her, actually you could call me Kate and it wouldn't bother me, ma'am or commander is fine."

"Yes, ma'am, and yes, we are about 15 minutes out."

She nodded. "Torres, are you and your teams ready to extract what is needed for DS9?"

"Yes, ma'am. We've got the crews ready and a shuttle on standby should we need to move in closer. We will place them in the containers in the cargo bays."

"Space isn't an issue correct?"

"No, ma'am, we should have plenty of storage space."

Kate activated the system in between hers and Chakotay's seat so she could study the area in a little more detail. She felt comfortable with what they were about to perform, as by all intents and purposes, it was a relatively routine procedure. But since she was ultimately going to be in charge of it, due to her father's absence from the bridge, she wanted to read over the notations one more time. She had been so deeply engrossed in studying the exact readout for how this would work that she failed to hear Tom Paris calling for her.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Mr. Paris, I was deeply engrossed in reviewing the mission notes that I didn't hear you. What did you say?"

He laughed. "It is okay, Commander, at least you showed up to work today."

"Tom!" B'Elanna practically shouted across the bridge.

Kate shook her head. "Mr. Paris, while other Starfleet Commanders and Captains likely would have declared you out of line for that remark, I'll let you slide as I know you meant it as a humorous remark. What did you need from me?"

"Ah, yes, ma'am, and thank you. But we've arrived at the reserves."

"On screen," she demanded and the colorful array was displayed for the bridge crew to see.

"B'Elanna, please go ahead and instruct your teams to begin the process of evaluation and then once that has been completed to notify us for final approval of the recovery process."

She nodded her head. "Yes, ma'am," she stated and headed back to her workstation on the bridge, where she would relay instructions to her teams scattered at various positions on the ship.

Kate continued to study her workstation as the reports from B'Elanna's crew had been streamlined to her workstation so she could monitor the status, as well. Eventually, B'Elanna's crew reported in that they were all set. The bridge crew reviewed the final notes and B'Elanna studied Kate intently as she poured over the results from her crews.

"Very thorough, Lt. Torres. Excellent job by your teams. Let's proceed with the recovery process."

"Aye, aye, Capt, umm sorry, Commander," B'Elanna said with a slight crack in her voice.

Kate couldn't help but hide the half smile that crept upon her face. "Continue to route status updates to this terminal, and feel free to provide us with verbal updates. I know this will likely take all day to complete, but I'd like to keep a watch on the status to ensure nothing goes awry."

"Yes, ma'am," the entire bridge crew practically replied in unison.

Kate stood near the railing just above Mr. Paris as she peered out the view screen as the process had gotten under way. She glanced down and caught him staring up at her.

"Something wrong, Mr. Paris?" she asked curiously.

Slowly he stood up and got as close as he could to her. "I'm sorry, Kate, but it's so eerie sometimes."

"What is?"

"Just how many of your mannerisms are just like hers. When B'Elanna almost called you Captain earlier, I can see why. So many of the mannerisms you exhibit – the way you stand, the words you say, the way you sit, it is almost like Admiral Janeway is back in charge of  _Voyager_. I know you've never been under her command, but you are just like her in many, many ways. And, that is not a bad thing at all."

Kate reached down and patted Tom on his shoulder. "Thank you, Tom. That actually does mean a lot. Sometimes I wish I could have seen her in action on the bridge as I imagine she was a force to be reckoned with."

As they were standing there talking, the doors to the turbolift slid open and out dashed Chakotay in a more hurried manner than was typical. Smirks and smiles broke out all around the bridge as he was substantially late for duty.

"Report," he stated but his tone wasn't harsh, it was relatively light.

The officers all glanced around at each other before it was Kate who took reign to the situation.

"Well, Captain, while you were detained, we arrived at the reserves. B'Elanna's crew performed a spotless evaluation and we've now begun the collection and recovery process, which is likely anticipated to take all day to complete."

He rolled his eyes at her and when he saw the smirk that crept upon her face, he shook his head and sat down in his command chair. He could feel the eyes from all the bridge officers staring at him.

"Back to work, everyone, there's nothing to see here."

Fits of laughter broke out throughout the bridge, as it was so out of character for him to be late. Sitting in her seat, she was staring straight ahead but had a massive sideways smirk that was eating about half of her face up. Finally, she glanced over in his direction and met his eyes, which were filled with complete happiness.

"Did you have a lovely and relaxing evening, Captain?" she had said it loud enough that Paris and Torres had likely heard her ask him.

Chakotay's eyes narrowed at the smirk that was spread across Kate's face, but even she knew he wasn't angry with her.

"As a matter of fact, I did, Commander. I was pleasantly surprised to discover you have another talent for music."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't get any ideas, as I don't intend to do any serenading here on the bridge."

She held his eye contact a little longer and then noticed something which caused her eyes to widen a little more. In a manner similar to what her mother used do, she leaned across the center console and whispered to him.

"Claw marks on your neck or is that a new tattoo?"

Instinctively, he reached his hand up to his neck and his eyes widened when he felt the slightly raised skin. He glanced back at her to see an expression on her face that was one of amusement.

"Apparently, Captain, you didn't get much sleep last night, as it is highly unusual for you to be so late. Not sure what tiger must have attacked you last night, but you may need to take better care of yourself."

"Commander!" Chakotay stated at a much louder level. "My ready room, NOW!" He seemed a little irritated as he stormed off to his ready room.

Paris whirled around in his chair and his mouth was hung open. Torres' eyes were widened in alert, as were Kim's. They all secretly wondered if their commander was about to get skinned alive. She stood from her seat with a fixed smirk on her face and waltzed straight into his ready room where she found him pacing like an animal.

"Calm thyself down!" she practically ordered him. "Do you need to take the rest of the day off to recover?"

He made a noise and stopped pacing coming instead to an abrupt stop directly in front of her. He wasn't going to say much as the child typically doesn't want to know all the details of their parent's interactions, but he knew she was curious. He saw the twinkle in her eye, one that likely matched his own, and a smile crept across his face.

She started laughing and then highly out of character did an air fist pump, as if she was proud of something.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "I knew it!"

He raised his eyebrows and smirked at her. "You knew what, Commander?"

"Oh, come on, you really expect me to think you got a new tattoo in some crazy tattoo shop on the holodeck? I think not. Someone got clawed to death," she said while stepping closer to inspect a little more. She pulled down the turtleneck of his undershirt and whistled. "Wow, she got you good. Lord knows what she'd do with her teeth."

Grabbing her hand, he pulled it down. "You do realize you are talking about your own mother, right?"

She laughed. "Yes, sorry, but if Paris sees this, this story will spread quicker than a wildfire in the driest of dry areas. I'm glad things apparently rectified themselves."

He smiled with contentment. "They did and even better than I could have imagined. It's all going to work out, Kate. We're not engaged by any means, but we've both committed to the fact that we want to spend the rest of our lives together. We know it won't be an easy road, as we both have a lot to deal with, and Kathryn has a lot she still has to overcome, but we are both committed to this. And, I have a feeling you'll be getting an invitation to go to Indiana once we return to Earth, as well."

She could hear the excitement in his voice and see the relief in his body. He seemed much happier and much more spirited than she'd ever seen before. She patted him on the arm.

"I told you that she'd come around. We Janeway women are stubborn as hell, but give us time and we eventually come to our senses. She knows she can't let something as good as you go forever. I'm so glad, more so for you than anything. You've waited forever."

He smiled. "She's worried about you though."

"Me?" Kate asked almost in a shocked manner.

"Yes. She's worried about how much she's hurt you over the years and whether you can ever truly forgive her."

"But," she started but he cut her off. He took both of her hands in his.

"I explained to her that you're natured differently than the two of us. I told her while you were stubborn as hell at times, you also had this incredible passion and calmness about you. You knew how to fluctuate between the Commander and Kate and realize the difference in the roles with an ease. But most importantly I explained to her that while you had been hurt and confused at times, that you had moved on from that and that all you ultimately wanted was for her to be happy in life."

She smiled at him. "Very insightful, Captain, and spot on perfect. Yes, she's hurt me and confused me, but no one is perfect. After many, many enlightening therapy sessions with Deanna Troi-Riker, I've truly attempted to put the past behind me and move forward – whether that meant having Kathryn in my life or not. She's my mother and I'll always love her no matter what. She doesn't need to worry that anything that may have transpired with the  _Excalibur_  has changed how I feel deep down towards her either. While I may not have been thrilled at the decision she made, in some ways, as odd as it may sound, it worked out. It brought me to you, and ultimately brought her back to both of us."

"You're so right," he added and gave her a quick hug. "While I'm not sharing any details, especially since you're our daughter, I will say last night was incredible, and thank you for all the things you left behind for us."

She smiled and winked. "Well, I did have some help. You know they full well know what likely happened, too. Not all the details and such, but logically, we know, and most importantly, we're all happy. B'Elanna wants to shout out 'it is about time' but I've held her at bay on that thus far."

He laughed, "Let her save that for the Admiral."

"Ooooh, she'd probably skin her alive," she added as they shared a laugh before being interrupted by Lt. Commander Paris.

"Paris to Chakotay and Janeway, the Second One."

"Go ahead," Chakotay responded while glancing towards Kate at the reference for what Tom had called her.

"We need you two on the bridge."

They didn't even reply other than to walk through the ready room doors and up onto the command platform on the bridge.

"Report, Mr. Paris," Kate stated authoritatively.

"Well," he started but B'Elanna cut him off.

"I wanted to let the two of you know that the collection of the reserves is running at such a smooth pace, we are actually about finished. We can collect a little extra as we do have the storage space if you think that would be beneficial for DS9. I wanted to check with the two of you first before we made that decision."

Chakotay nodded his head. "I think that'd be beneficial. Can't ever hurt to have too much on hand, I suppose. Go ahead, B'Elanna and finish up. I'm going to hit the mess hall as I'm starving, but keep me apprised of the situation. Anyone need anything?" he asked which was greeted with stunned looks from the entire bridge crew, including the Commander.

They all shook their heads and watched in astonishment as he strode happily towards the turbolift.

Paris whirled around in his chair. "Anyone else thinking what I'm thinking?" he added and pointing to his wrist as if he were pointing towards a watch.

Kate shook her head. "No, Mr. Paris, we are NOT going to think that," she followed by a slight laugh and a shake of her head before seating herself back in her chair and reading the PADD that had been delivered to her by a junior officer.

Half an hour later, B'Elanna notified her that the collection was complete, well ahead of schedule. It was her decision now, since the Captain had not returned from lunch as to what to do next.

"Well, since our Captain is missing in action again, and the mission has been complete, we are on a time schedule to get these reserves back to Deep Space Nine, and since we still cannot procced at a high rate of speed due to the prior damage to the ship, I say we may as well get this show on the road. Anyone have any input?"

When no one spoke up to counter her decision, Tuvok hesitated and then stated. "Commander Janeway, logically, since the Captain is not present, you are the next highest ranking member on the bridge. You are correct in your assumptions that these reserves have to be transferred in a specified amount of time and with the limitations onboard this ship, now with the additional weight, I concur that we should go ahead and begin the journey."

She nodded at him. "B'Elanna, what's the maximum warp that our drive can sustain with the additional weight and the current overall status of the ship."

She punched in a few figures in to the ship's systems and studied them carefully. "In reviewing all of the system specs, I would say we can most definitely sustain any warp speed five and below, we could potentially go over five and up to six, but I am a little hesitant at doing that."

Kate nodded and stepped up to the rail glancing back out the view screen. Almost as if reflexively, she placed her hands on either of her hips before declaring, "Mr. Paris, lay in a course for Deep Space Nine, Warp 4.25."

She turned to head back towards the seat and this time, she assumed the Captain's chair, which brought about smiles from the bridge crew. They trusted only few people to share that seat with their Captain's Kathryn Janeway and Chakotay, and naturally, their daughter would be one of the few additional individuals they trusted to assume that seat.

"Course laid in, Captain," Paris stated. "Sorry, I mean, Commander."

She couldn't help but chuckle and shake her head. Glancing around the bridge, almost as if this were a complete dream to her, she finally replied, "Engage, Mr. Paris."

They all felt the sudden shift in  _Voyager_  as the warp drive kicked in and they began their journey towards Deep Space Nine. Emotions were somewhat heavy as they knew this was the conclusion of their final mission, and in somewhat of an ironic twist, another Janeway had assumed the command seat in this final expedition. They all stared at the view screen in somewhat disbelief that all of this was coming to a slow end, but if the Commander had anything to do with it, she hoped that should she be able to obtain the promotion for the new  _Voyager_  that she could convince some of the crew to remain with her.


	16. Chapter 16

Over the next day and a half, the crew continued their regular duties as the ship made its way to Deep Space Nine. Chakotay attempted to return to his duties on a more full-time basis, but even the crew could tell he was distracted beyond anything they had ever witnessed. They were all happy to see him finally let loose and be happy as it had been a long time coming and he deserved it. The Admiral had kept a relatively low profile, which was somewhat unusual. Even Kate had hardly seen her, but in her free time, Kate had spent most of that with Galina discussing various wedding plans for her upcoming wedding to Dr. Killarney. But the evening prior to their anticipated arrival at Deep Space Nine, Chakotay stopped Kate as she was about to leave the bridge near the end of her shift.

"Can you I see you for a minute?" he asked and nodded towards his ready room.

She followed him in there and noticed the sincerity of his expression and his prior tone. "Is everything okay?"

He smiled politely at her. "Yes, everything is fine. Your mother and I have been spending a lot of time together, which we don't mean to be excluding you, but we've been discussing a lot of things."

"Okay," Kate stated hesitantly, "And you're not excluding me, I've been busy working on my wedding plans."

"Well, I say all that to say a couple of things. One, your mother and I would like you to join us for dinner tonight. Would that be okay with you?"

She nodded her head. "Sure that's fine. Is she cooking?"

He laughed. "I'm not sure if she is, but I'll help her if necessary. My quarters at 1900."

"Sounds good. Casual dress?"

He nodded. "Yes, of course. Now second, I wanted to see what you felt about this. We've realized more and more that we do want to spend the rest of our lives together, and I want to ask her to marry me, but I'm not sure how you feel about that because I know you're about to get married yourself."

Kate practically leapt up to the upper portion of his ready room where he was standing. "Oh, that would be so perfect. I don't have one problem with the two of you being engaged at the same time I am. I'm not planning any sort of big ceremony, so please feel free to do it whenever you want."

He smiled, "Well part of me wanted to do it here on  _Voyager_ , which is where we ultimately met and where we were actually brought together, but part of me wanted to wait and do it in Indiana at her home. I can't decide."

She thought for a moment. "You know, while I think Indiana would be touching, you don't have a connection with her there other than having been there to see her family. I haven't even been there. In some ways, the  _Voyager_  crew is more of your family than your biological families. I think it would be fitting that you somehow propose here on  _Voyager_  in front of a small gathering, maybe even on the bridge itself. You don't have to get married on  _Voyager_ , unless you wanted, or heck, you can even get married when I do."

He chuckled at the thought. "I'm not doing a double-date marriage with my daughter. You deserve to have all the limelight that day. Your mother and I don't need a ceremony at all. But, I like your idea. I'll ponder it some more and try to give you a heads-up."

"Do you have a ring? I mean it might be hard to replicate that."

He laughed. "Actually, I do."

"You do?!" she was astonished.

"I bought one long ago. Remember, I went to Indiana to ask her mother's permission to marry her and hoped to find Kathryn there. I had bought a ring once we got back to Earth, actually I had one custom made for her. I refused to return it, and have kept it with me all this time."

"Wow! That's incredible. You never did give up hope. Don't you think she might find it in your quarters?"

He shook his head. "We've not been in my quarters the entire time, young lady, and I don't have it hidden there anyways." He paused and looked at her as he stepped back over towards his desk where he punched in a special code and a drawer opened in the wall behind his desk. He pulled out a small box and walked back over to Kate. "I keep it hidden in a secret panel that I had installed. But this is it. What do you think?"

Kate's eyes nearly bulged out of her head as she gasped. "Oh! Wow! It is unbelievable. It's gorgeous. I've never seen anything quite like it. But wait, doesn't it match the necklace sort of?"

He chuckled. "Actually yes, but you're not giving that back to her. You don't think it's too much?"

She lay her hand on top of his and smiled. "No, not at all. It is splendid. You have much better taste than Michael does," she added with a laugh.

Chakotay shook his head. "Where is your ring? You did get one, didn't you?"

"Of course. I just don't wear it as it's not really Starfleet protocol and I know some Captain's don't like their crew to wear things of that nature, even though I do always manage to wear Mom's necklace."

Chakotay studied her for a minute. "Kate, if you want to wear it, you need to wear it. I don't have a problem with that whatsoever. You need to be proud of that and wear it as you see fit."

"Thanks," she added with a faint smile while reaching out to touch the ring he had bought for her mother. "She will love it, and if she doesn't, then she is crazy. But more importantly than the ring, she loves you and you're all she really wants. But, I better go and change clothes so I am not late for my dinner date. We wouldn't want to upset the Admiral now would we?"

She gave him a quick hug before adding. "When the time is right, you'll know, you'll feel it. Don't be nervous. She won't say no, but if she does, I'll kill her," she added with a semi-serious look on her face. "I'll see you guys in a little while," she added before she turned and headed out the door en route to her quarters to freshen up and change clothes for the evening.

Prior to heading to Chakotay's quarters, Kate went to Galina's quarters. She needed to tell her the truth because she cherished their friendship and deep down, she had a right to know. Kate stepped in to Galina's quarters and was immediately drawn to the fragrant lilac blossoms that she always had in her room.

"Hey, Kate! What brings you by? I thought you were having dinner with your Mom tonight? You look nice, by the way, I really like that top."

Kate nodded and replied "Thanks," before changing her expression to that of complete sincerity.

Galina sensed something was the matter. "Kate, are you okay? What's the matter?"

Kate went and sat down on Galina's sofa and stared out the window. "Yes, I am having dinner with my Mom tonight, but I've not been completely honest with you and it's been nagging at me for some time now. I've not been allowed to tell many of the crew this, but of all people, I know I can trust you with this and I can't hold it back from you any longer because as my friend, I don't want to hurt you."

Galina sat down beside of Kate and her eyes widened in sheer anticipation of what Kate could possibly be getting ready to tell her. "Okay," she stated with some hesitation noticeable in her voice.

Kate hesitated for a moment and pondered how to approach it, but there was no way around it. "Galina, as you know Admiral Janeway is my mother, and I've shared with you how our relationship has been rocky off and on, but you know how much I love her even though I was not pleased with some decisions she made."

Galina smiled and patted Kate on the arm. "I know all that, Kate. I know how she gave you up for adoption and how you finally reunited with her at the Academy. What's wrong? I don't understand."

Kate smiled faintly at her friend. "Well, I always wondered who my father was, and over the years of developing my relationship with my mother, she never would tell me, but I started to speculate on my own some of the possibilities. Then, one evening, she was showing me a photo album and I saw someone in there, someone who obviously meant a lot to her, and while she never would tell me much about him, I always had a sneaking suspicion that he was candidate number one on my list for who my father could possibly be. I say all that to say that I now know who my father is. Only a select few individuals are allowed to know because should it get out fully, it could cause a lot of upheaval for all of us."

Kate watched as Galina processed all of this. "Kate, I don't understand. I mean unless your Mom did something highly unethical, then what's the big deal? Starfleet can't tell her who she can and can't sleep with aside from the regulations already in place for us when it pertains to alien races, right?"

Kate couldn't help but laugh. "Starfleet typically does tend to stay out of our personal affairs, but you see, my Mom is sometimes too much by the book. She always put Starfleet protocol above everything and anything. For seven years while trapped in the Delta Quadrant, she was in love with someone within her crew, but she never allowed herself to act on those feelings because of perceived regulations and protocol. Can you only imagine? I don't know how she did it. But on her birthday, weeks prior to their return to the Alpha Quadrant, she ended up giving in to her temptation and shared a wonderful evening with someone. Shockingly, once she returned to Earth, she discovered she was pregnant, but she never told him because she believed he was involved with someone else. And no, she had never told him how she truly felt about him either. She ended up giving me up for adoption and never told him he had any children. I say all that to say, the position that he holds now in Starfleet, along with myself and ultimately my mother could all be in jeopardy should Starfleet discover the truth. Because there is somewhat of a Starfleet violation currently onboard  _Voyager_."

Galina shook her head in confusion. "I still don't understand how there could be a violation, unless…" and she paused and looked up at Kate in amazement. She studied her intently and Kate couldn't help but break out in to a smile. "Chakotay?" Galina practically whispered and gasped at the same time. Kate simply nodded her head in response.

"Oh! My God! I had heard rumors forever while I was in the Academy of Janeway and Chakotay, but I tried to push them aside and didn't want to believe them. But I saw how they interacted together with the kids and then later on the holodeck while being together here, and it made me ponder things but it wasn't my business, so I didn't focus on it. Everyone on the crew seemed to want to see them together. But are you saying that the Captain is your Dad?"

Kate laughed. "Yes, he is. I didn't know that and he didn't either until after he had appointed me to be the interim First Officer. That's why we haven't been able to tell many people because should Starfleet find out, it is a direct violation of protocol because I'm ultimately his daughter and I cannot serve under his command. So, we're trying to keep it quiet. Mom finally broke down and told him and then me. It obviously caused some mixed feelings, but thankfully, they have rectified their past and are trying to resume a new relationship, as they both have realized how much they truly love each other. I wanted to tell you sooner, but only the senior staff was able to be told and they had to be sworn to secrecy. I didn't want to not tell you, but…"

Galina smiled and gave Kate a hug. "I understand the delicacy of the situation and I'm not mad that you didn't tell me sooner. I wondered how you and the Captain were so close because he often keeps such a distance between himself and the staff, but I saw how quickly he adapted to you. But I never even thought of putting two and two together. But, you don't have to worry, you're secret is safe with me. So, is it safe to assume that dinner tonight will be with both of your parents?"

Kate beamed. "Yes, this could be interesting, especially if Mom is cooking. You know I'm still not sure how to refer to him. I mean he's the Captain, which is what I call him at work but behind closed doors, I don't know. I mean I've referred to him as one of the Cherokee names for father, which he seems fine with, but sometimes I've called him Chakotay. It's kind of odd in a way, you know?"

"I can't imagine. I mean my childhood is far from perfect, but that has to be neat in a way, but totally odd at the same time. What are you going to do about your wedding - are you going to have him walk you down the aisle?"

"Well, you know initially, I was going to ask Captain Riker to give me away, as he and Deanna have often been like a set of parents to me over the years. But now that I've learned who my father is, it's my intention to ask him, provided he likes Michael. I know they've talked, but they haven't officially met. But, why am I so nervous about having dinner with them tonight?"

A look of confusion came over Galina's face. "But you've done that before, right?" To which Kate nodded an affirmative in response. "Has something changed?"

Kate laughed, "In a way, I guess you could say yes. They were at odds after my rescue and then subsequent injury. Apparently now, they've more than made up, if you know what I mean."

Galina laughed. "I know what you mean. But that doesn't change who they are on the inside. If they've bonded together, then so be it. Just because they've, well yeah, doesn't mean that has changed who they are and how they feel towards you. In some ways, it may have even strengthened their bond with you as they see you truly as their daughter now instead of her daughter and his daughter."

"If I ever get to be a captain of a ship, I'm appointing you to be the ship's counselor. You always know exactly what to say. But anyways, I just wanted to drop by and tell you that as I better get to dinner because Heaven forbid if I'm late for the Admiral. But thank you for listening."

"Anytime, Kate. I'm so glad you're onboard this ship now and that we can be friends. It's been a hard road for me fitting in."

Kate enveloped her in a hug. "Don't worry, I'll always have your back Amaez," she added before retreating from the Ensign's quarters and resuming her course for the Captain's quarters.

Upon entering the Captain's quarters, Kate couldn't help but notice that some things had slightly been rearranged and some things had been added. Most noticeably there was much more of a presence of her mother within his quarters as some of her personal items and touches had been scattered here and there.

' _Moving right on in,'_  Kate thought to herself as she continued to look around wondering where the heck her parents were, let alone how or why the doors opened automatically when she approached. In a split second, her mother walked out from one of the side rooms. Kate's eyebrows raised because since she had last seen her mother on the holodeck a few days prior, Kathryn appeared totally different. She looked rejuvenated and happy. She even looked like she had lost weight and her overall appearance was much fresher, even her hair color was lighter, almost returning to her natural. Kathryn approached her daughter and wrapped her arms around her and kissed her on the cheek.

"Hi, sweetheart. How've you been?" Kathryn inquired and motioned for Kate to take a seat at the dining room table. "Your father just got in and he's changing clothes, he'll be out in a minute."

Kate couldn't help but stare at her in bewilderment and slightly shook her head. This was all slightly overwhelming to her.

"I'm doing fine, Mom, been busy with work and then additional wedding plans. How've you been? You've been missing in action for a few days, but you look incredible. You look relaxed and happy. Much different than I've seen, but I can naturally guess why," Kate stated while her father walked into the room and she watched as her mother's eyes lit up and a smile spread across her face. "Yup, that's what I mean."

Chakotay placed a kiss on top of Kate's head before he stepped beside of Kathryn and wrapped an arm around her side and kissed her lightly. "Hey honey," he added before retreating to the kitchen area to help gather their dinner and bring to the table.

Kate chuckled. "Can you train Michael to do this? I mean the man of the relationship making and serving dinner? I could get used to that."

They all shared a laugh before small chat ensued on the varying topics of the day. Once dinner was concluded, they made their way over to the seating area. Kathryn elected to sit beside of her daughter and wrapped her arm around Kate's shoulders and played with her long dark locks of hair.

"Honey," Kathryn stated while looking deep in to Kate's eyes. "I've got something I want to ask you, but I'm not sure how you'll respond."

"Okay," Kate replied with some hesitation before briefly glancing at Chakotay who nodded at her indicating that it was likely nothing to fret over. She always liked the calming feeling he could provide for her.

"Sweetheart, as you well know, once  _Voyager_  completes the mission at Deep Space Nine, we will return to Earth, where  _Voyager_  will be decommissioned as there is a new vessel that is near completion. Your father is intending upon retiring from active service and probably will work at the Academy or somewhere else in a teaching capacity. We're not pressuring you in any way, shape or form, but I know you've had the desire to become a captain of a ship, and I know you have it in you and have the qualifications.

"First of all, I wanted to know if you've submitted your application for the lead command position on the new  _Voyager_ , which has yet to be given an official name and classification. Second of all, once we return to Earth, the current  _Voyager_  crew will be given several months of shore leave. So I wanted to see, while on your break, if you would like to take us to visit your family in Cherokee and then in turn, would you be willing to accompany Chakotay and myself to my home in Indiana where I would like to formally introduce you to my mother, ultimately your grandmother, Gretchen?"

Kate leaned back in to the sofa, which just made her lean further into her mother's somewhat half embrace. She had just overloaded her with a lot of information, and Kathryn could sense the miniature overload, but she knew Kate was capable of processing it all. A small smile crept upon her face and she turned to face her mother. It was now or never to drop the news.

"Well, to answer your first question. Since the last time the whole topic of me applying for  _Voyager_ ended on very rocky ground, I decided I wouldn't say anything about it as I wasn't sure how to plausibly prepare for that again. But I actually submitted my application a week or so ago, even before the incident with the repair. I've already heard back from Admiral Jameson, and he said he would be in contact soon regarding everything. But he said I was on the short list of candidates that Starfleet had pre-selected, so with my submitting a formal request, it would affirm that I would be granted an interview. So, I already beat you to the punch on that. But had Chak, eh, Edoda, decided that he wanted to remain onboard  _Voyager_  as the Captain, I was going to withdraw my request."

Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged a look that Kate registered as shock. Neither of them had anticipated the fact that she logically would have already put in her formal request, but deep down, Chakotay was honored with how she'd been willing to step aside should he have wanted to remain onboard. Kate knew she had caught them off-guard and she was pleased with herself.

"Now, as to your second question. I'll be a busy girl in my free time because in case you forgot, in my extended shore leave, I am planning on getting married. It won't be a big or formal ceremony, but I would hope that both of you would attend. Matter of fact, Michael may hitch a ride back with  _Voyager_  to Earth if he can get away that quickly. If not, he is planning to come back to Earth shortly after our return. That being said, I would love to go visit my family in Cherokee, as I know they likely won't be able to attend my wedding as their health has declined over the years. And of course, I would love to go meet your mother and even your sister, too. They are more than welcome to come to the wedding, if they aren't in total shock when you drop the 30 year bombshell on them."

Chakotay decided he needed to add something to the conversation. "Well, I've met both Gretchen and Phoebe and while I am sure there will be some shock, and who knows how Phoebe will react, I know Gretchen will love you more than you can imagine. And naturally I'll be at your wedding because it'd be my honor to walk my gorgeous daughter down the aisle, if you so choose. But when and where are you planning on getting married?"

Kate chuckled and shook her head. "Mom, please don't take this the wrong way, but if your sister starts giving you a hard time, I'm fully prepared to not only defend myself, but I'm ready to defend you, as well. This is one Janeway that she's probably not quite ready to upset."

Kathryn hugged her daughter and released her as she knew Kate hadn't answered the rest of Chakotay's questions.

"Now, as far as your other questions. Well, initially, we were just going to get married near Starfleet Academy since that's where we met. Then we thought about Ireland as we wanted Michael's family to be able to come, but it wasn't conducive because my family and friends wouldn't be able to travel that far. So, we're back to the debate of where we're going to get married because now several of the kids' parents onboard  _Voyager_  have approached me saying that their kids want to come to Miss Katie's wedding. I've talked to Michael and his parents have said we don't have to get married in Ireland just because of them. So, more than likely, it's going to be somewhere in California near Starfleet so whomever from  _Voyager_  wants to come, can come.

"We found this small park that overlooks the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge, so we might have it there. Just a small ceremony, nothing over the top. But, yes, I'd love for you to walk me down the aisle. Initially Captain Will Riker was going to do the honors, since he and Deanna have always been like another family to me, but now that I know who my father is, I think I'd prefer you and I know Will will understand. But back to the location topic, Mom, do you have any suggestions since you take up residence in San Francisco?"

Kathryn leaned back and thought for a moment. "Let me ponder on it. I think the park is probably a good idea, but remember we have that small park on the grounds at Starfleet that's surrounded by the roses. It overlooks the Bay, as well."

"Oooh," Kate started as she leaned forward on the couch. "Yes, I forgot. That's the park where Michael and I…" and she stopped realizing that's the park where they hid in the bushes as Boothby's nephew pulled the fire alarms so Kate could get a good look at her mother a year after their incident.

"You and Michael did what?" Kathryn asked almost switching back to her Admiral voice.

Kate held up both hands. "Oh no! Nothing like that. I'm not quite as brave as my mother for doing things in the public limelight," she added and gave her a sideways smirk letting her know she likely knew what happened on the holodeck. Getting the reaction she had hoped for from Kathryn, she continued, "Michael and I just had a little recon mission that we did in the park watching and waiting for someone one day a year or so ago. I had totally forgotten about that park, and it would be a perfect location."

Chakotay now realized what Kate was referring to with the recon mission that she and Michael had done, and he eyed her suspiciously, but she knew her secret was safe with him. Kathryn watched them with curiosity but let it pass.

"How about I'll contact Boothby's nephew and I'll reserve that park? Since I'm an Admiral, I have first rights to the park and can reserve it with a little more ease should they raise any questions."

Kate sat up straight and turned on the sofa to face her mother. "You'd be willing to do that?"

Kathryn placed her hands on either side of her daughter's delicate cheekbones. "For you, my little Kathryn, I'll do anything," she added before placing a quick kiss on her daughter's lips.

Chakotay couldn't help but beam. This was his real Kathryn, and he was beyond glad to see her back. The love that she had for her daughter exuded from every pore in her body, and he loved to watch the two of them interact with each other. While they were mother and daughter, sometimes they almost acted more like sisters. And he knew that while Kate loved Kathryn as her mother, she also revered and respected her as an influence in her life as a Captain and Admiral.

Kate continued to tell them about her wedding plans and the honeymoon that she had forgotten how late it was getting. Nonetheless, she was glad to be spending this much quality time with her parents. They were so engrossed in conversation that they almost missed the interruption.

"Bridge to Captain Chakotay," came the response from the crewman who was on the late shift duty.

"Go ahead," Chakotay replied.

"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we're receiving a message from Admiral Jameson, who is at Deep Space Nine and he is requesting to speak to you and Commander Janeway urgently."

"Understood. Can you route communication through to the terminal in my quarters? I can notify Commander Janeway to join me."

"Yes, sir. Communication on its way. Bridge out."

Kate paused for a moment and eyed Chakotay with curiosity. What on earth could Admiral Jameson want with the both of them, let alone, what was he doing on Deep Space Nine? Chakotay had moved over to his desk area and turned on the monitor where Admiral Jameson greeted him.

"Captain, I'm sorry to bother you at such a late time in the evening. Are the Commander and by chance Admiral Janeway nearby?" Jameson inquired.

"Good evening, Admiral," Chakotay replied. "Yes, both Admiral and Commander Janeway are present," he added while turning the monitor briefly so they could all see the screen.

"Very well. Again, I was sorry to disturb you all, but I felt you needed to be notified of something in advance. I know  _Voyager_  is due to arrive at Deep Space Nine tomorrow afternoon, correct?"

"Yes, sir, we are running slightly ahead of schedule, but our estimated time of arrival is tomorrow early afternoon," Commander Janeway replied.

"Good, oh and thank you, Commander, for your bravery in restoring  _Voyager_  to its complete perfection. It's been noted in your permanent record for the extreme bravery you've exhibited now onboard three vessels in successfully performing outdoor repair missions, as well as your rescue mission at Capella IV and the subsequent defeat of the Borg Sphere."

"Thank you, Admiral. I appreciate that," Kate replied.

"Anyways, I say all this to say. I know that there were some issues with you, Commander, and the Captain of the  _Excalibur_. I've read Admiral Janeway's report and quite frankly, some of the items I read in her report, Captain Chakotay's report and ultimately your report, I have found quite disturbing. Some of the Captain's decisions he made are borderline unethical and in direct violation of the Starfleet protocol. I know you resigned from  _Excalibur_  and took the interim position onboard  _Voyager_  so as to not bring charges against him, but we are still going to conduct an investigation into the motives and reasons behind his decisions, as there was no emergency mission that  _Excalibur_  was called away upon. However, I say all this to say, that this afternoon, the  _Excalibur_ showed up unannounced at Deep Space Nine. I am not sure how long they will remain, but Commander Janeway, I wanted to provide you a heads-up as there is a good chance you may run in to Captain Calhoun onboard Deep Space Nine. I don't want any sort of issues. I know your history and how well you've always behaved yourself, but I cannot speak for Captain Calhoun."

Kate could sense the tension in the room suddenly increase tenfold as she knew that Chakotay and Kathryn were about to go on the defensive and explode. She decided to speak up before they could respond because she feared Chakotay may blow his cover.

"Admiral, I appreciate your notification. I'm quite surprised that my fiancé hasn't notified me, but he is likely busy or may not be aware of their arrival. I promise that I'll be on my best behavior and try to keep any sort of conflict to a minimum."

The Admiral couldn't help but smile. "Dr. Killarney is aware of their presence. I just came from meeting with him and told him that I would take care of reaching out to you. And I know you'll be on your best behavior. It might be your mother that I'm a little more worried about," he added while staring directly at Kathryn possessing a slight smirk upon his face.

Chakotay interrupted. "Admiral, I'll ensure that the crew of  _Voyager_  remains on their best behavior, and that will include Admiral Janeway since she is currently onboard our ship."

"You see to that, Captain. I don't want too many issues to break out, as we are going to do some further investigations into Captain Calhoun's behavior. One more question for the Commander before I let you all go. Commander, we received your formal request and will you be free early tomorrow evening for a formal meeting?"

Kate was surprised at how fast this transpired and while it did catch her off-guard, she maintained a straight expression so as not to show any sort of apprehension to the Admiral.

"Yes, sir, I'll be available any time after we dock with Deep Space Nine."

"Perfect. I'll reach out to you once you arrive and get something set-up. Enjoy the rest of your evening. Jameson out," he stated before the screen returned to the Starfleet logo.

The three of them were silent for a few moments, but Kate could feel the hair on the back of her neck standing as she knew her mother and or her father were about to go on the all-out assault. The next thing she knew, she felt a hand on the back of her shirt and she felt almost as if her shirt were being balled up inside of a fist. In addition to the shirt being pulled upon her back, some of Kate's long hair had apparently gotten caught inside of the shirt and the fist and her neck was beginning to be pulled backwards slightly.

"Mom," Kate said attempting to turn around but couldn't because of the death lock that her mother had on her shirt, and subsequently her hair, which Kate was trying to shake loose but Kathryn's grip was so tight, she couldn't get free.

Chakotay looked down and realized what Kathryn had accidentally done, and didn't even think she realized what she was doing. "Kathryn, let go of Kate's hair and shirt before you rip it."

She finally released it but not before saying something that sent shockwaves through the room. "If I'm going to rip anything, Chakotay, I'm going to rip that man's head right off his shoulders."

Kate's eyes widened and she looked up at Chakotay who had a similar look on his face. He grabbed Kathryn by the shoulders trying to shake her from the catatonic state that she seemed to have possessed her.

"Kathryn, look at me," he shook her with a little more force and got her attention. "I know you're upset at his decisions, and quite frankly, after hearing Jameson say that there was no emergency mission, I am beyond ticked off myself. But, Kathryn, we can't go jumping off the deep end and do anything irrational that could jeopardize Kate's future, let alone our own. I want to choke him as much as you do for leaving our daughter alone to die, but we have to let the cards play out for themselves and pray we don't end up running in to him. Don't make me confine you to quarters," he stated authoritatively.

"I outrank you, Chakotay. You can't do that," she was dead serious.

Kate felt like she was a ping-pong ball watching this unfold.

"Don't try to pull rank on me, Kathryn. We will handle this together. If it blows our cover, then so be it. I don't care anymore. Calhoun has no idea what it takes to be a Captain of a ship because he doesn't have a heart and a compassion for his crew. Honey, promise me, you won't do anything irrational. We still have to protect our daughter, okay?"

That seemed to have done it – protecting their daughter, it was all she needed to hear. "I will protect her, Chakotay until the day I die. I will not do anything to jeopardize your career nor hers. But if my path crosses with Calhoun while onboard Deep Space Nine, all of subspace better prepare for something mega because the entire space station may get rocked," Kathryn said with such furor that Kate backed away from her slightly.

She could tell the two of them were about to crank up and have another go at it and Kate did something she had never done before. She practically ripped Chakotay's hands off her Mother's shoulders and jumped in between the two of them forcibly planting the palms of each of her hands on each of their chests and with the strength she possessed, she literally moved the two of them apart. The speed at which she did this shocked them both. Her strength of moving the two of them also sent a ripple through the room.

"Stop it!" she practically shouted. "Listen to me, both of you! I don't want you two fighting again. I am a grown adult. I am NOT scared of Mackenzie Calhoun. He is a measly man who has no utter clue how to conduct business. I will not hide behind the two of you should I have an encounter with him. While I love and respect the two of you and appreciate your willingness to defend and protect me, I don't need you coming to my rescue and beating the crap out of him. He could file charges against the two of you, and I won't stand for that. You're not going down for something stupid that he did. Let him hang himself. Is that understood?"

Kate glared from the Admiral to the Captain and they knew she meant business as neither of them had ever seen her quite this upset. Trying to calm her tone down some and alleviate some of the tension in the room, she proceeded.

"Listen, I do appreciate all that you've done. But if you jump him, Mom, he's going to think I've gone crying to my Mom, the Admiral, who took her complaint all the way up the chain of command. Then if you go jumping him, Edoda, he's going to wonder why you care so much. Granted you are a fellow Captain who could teach him a lesson or two, but we cannot let the father-daughter relationship get blown. If that gets out before my formal interview, I'll be toast and we both know it. If you run into him, I can't keep you from saying something, as I know it'll be hard, Mom, for you to keep your mouth shut, but please, for my sake, think before you react."

Chakotay and Kathryn glanced at each other and both nodded their heads simultaneously. Kate still stood in between them but had dropped her hands from both their chests and relaxed her formerly defensive stance. Chakotay was proud of his daughter for standing her ground with her mother and him. It was admirable of her and he knew it had an impact on the both of them.

"Kate, I can't promise you we won't run into him as we don't know what may or may not transpire. But, I will try to keep my contact to a minimum even though, like your mother, I'd prefer to rip him to shreds. And, for what it's worth, I'll try to keep your mother on a short leash, as well," he added with a smile and wink, which caused them all slightly to laugh and allow the tension to somewhat subside.

Kate nodded and slightly yawned. "Well, as much as I hate to end this evening on a dire note, I think it's time for me to head in as tomorrow is sure to be eventful and I've obviously got some things I need to prepare for. Mom, can you do me a favor? In the event I get tied up with Admiral Jameson for too long, would you mind taking Edoda down and introducing him to Michael?"

Kathryn beamed with pride. "I would love to do that, honey. Are you sure you don't want us to wait for you though?"

"No, it's fine. I'm going to go message him now and let him know that I have a meeting and to be expecting you. I know he's already been looking forward to it. But thank you both for a very special evening. I'm so glad to see you two together and happy," she stated before giving them both light hugs and kisses on the cheeks. "I love you both, and I'll see you in the morning."

They both returned the shared 'I love you's' and watched as Kate departed from their quarters and head back towards her own. Chakotay came up behind Kathryn and wrapped his arms around her.

"You, missy, have got to calm yourself down."

"Chakotay, you know damn well, I want to rip that man to shreds, and I know you do, too. But, I will try my hardest to be a good girl," she added with a wicked smirk and devilish glimmer in her eyes.

"Well, you know, Kathryn, you can get your aggression and frustrations out on me, if you prefer. You don't have to be a good girl tonight."

She spun around and stood on her tip toes and placed a kiss on his lips. "Sometimes I wonder how on earth I managed to restrain myself seven years from you, but making up for lost time has proved highly beneficial. So, come on, my prize token Maquis boy, it's time for me to vent," she stated while practically dragging him off to the bedroom.

In her quarters, Kate shared a few quick messages with Michael and reviewed her application and completed a quick mental exercise that would get her mentally prepared for the possible interview and question and answer session that would likely transpire. She felt good about the prospect of meeting with Admiral Jameson, but something kept nagging at her as to why exactly Calhoun was at DS9. She forced herself to push that to the backburner and forced herself to focus on herself and  _Voyager_ , as that was what was most important in her life.

**Location: Federation Space Station - Deep Space Nine**

_Voyager's_  arrival at Deep Space Nine was met with great fanfare as once the ship was docked, station crew members were ready to board the vessel to begin unloading the much needed supplies for the space station. Chakotay and Kate met the senior leaders of the engineering crew and introduced them to B'Elanna and her team, who they would work together with in the process, as well as have the repair crews inspect the damage to  _Voyager's_  outer shell to determine if further repairs were needed before they embarked on their journey back to Earth. Shortly after finishing the debriefing meeting, Kate issued a message to all crewmembers on  _Voyager_ that they would remain docked at the space station for the remainder of the day and possibly the next, and that they were at liberty to spend time in various places but to check their terminals for their rotation assignments onboard the ship.

Shortly thereafter, she returned to her office where she had a message awaiting her from Admiral Jameson stating that he wanted to meet with her in two hours in his temporary office. While she thought her nerves would be roaring, she was ironically at a complete still. She found Chakotay in his ready room and told him where she would be should he need her. He wished her well and told her that she should join them for dinner at one of the main dining halls onboard DS9 afterward. She agreed and said she'd contact them as soon as she was done.

Prior to de-boarding the vessel, Kate had one more stop she needed to make. She was calm and mentally prepared, but she felt something was missing and she knew who she could turn to.

"Come in," she heard as she entered the room. As Kate entered the quarters, she found her lovely mother curled up on the sofa half covered in a blanket with a book in one hand and her coffee mug in the other.

"What are you reading?" Kate questioned lightly.

"Oh, hi, honey! Nothing much, just some random classic from way back when. I thought you were meeting with Admiral Jameson?"

"I am, but I just," and she paused. She couldn't figure out what she had ultimately come to see her mother for, but something had just led her there.

Sensing her hesitation and maybe slight nervousness, after putting down her coffee and book, Kathryn stood from the sofa and approached her daughter careful not to let the Admiral come out in her, as she was wearing most of her command uniform minus the actual jacket. Ever so gently, she took both of her daughter's hands in her own and held them. She stared at her, studying ever little detail about her own child.

"You have nothing to worry about, Kate. I am beyond proud of you. I may not have always been open and honest and told you that, but I am. I've pushed you in ways I likely shouldn't have pushed you, but each and every time I pushed you, you rose to the challenge and surpassed anything I could have ever done. You deserve this opportunity. No, we don't know what the end result may be, but I want you to know how proud I am of you, how beyond honored I am that you are my daughter, mine and Chakotay's daughter. You are gorgeous inside and out. You just be true to yourself. Answer every question with clarity and honesty. Don't try to be anything you're not, which I know you won't. But no matter what, always know I'm with you and I love you more than life itself."

Kate fought back the tears that were creeping up in her eyes. She only needed to hear encouragement from her mother, and Kathryn knew that even if Kate couldn't figure out why she was led to come to her quarters. She collapsed in to Kathryn's arms as tears escaped down her cheekbones. Kate rested her head against her mother's neck who could feel the dampness from the tears escaping Kate's eyes, and in turn, Kathryn let loose tears of her own. Pulling Kate back, Kathryn allowed her to see the tears that had stained her own face.

"I love you, sweetheart. Go and make me even more proud," she added while placing another quick kiss on her daughter's lips. Some would likely question that move, but it was symbolic for them. It symbolized the love the two of them had and the bond they had. It made Kate realize that Kathryn was her Mom first and not the Admiral.

Resting her forehead against her mother's, Kate whispered, "Thank you, Mom. All I ever wanted was to know my Mom loved me and was proud of me. No matter what happens today or down the road, knowing what you just said to me, is all I ever needed. I love you with my whole heart."

The sparkle that Kate saw in her mother's eyes made her realize that all would be well. Kathryn straightened Kate's uniform and adjusted her hair just as any other mother would do before sending their child on their way. No more words were needed and Kate simply gave her Mom a hug and kiss on the cheek and said, "I'll see you later," before she turned and walked out of the quarters heading over to the meeting room aboard Deep Space Nine to see Admiral Jameson.

Shortly after Kate left her quarters, Kathryn donned her full uniform and headed to the ready room where she was to rendezvous with Chakotay before heading down to see Michael in medical aboard the space station. When she entered the ready room, he was still seated behind his desk pouring over a few latest updates.

"Good afternoon, Admiral," he stated without even looking up. "Didn't even ask for permission to enter, you just came right on in."

She rolled her eyes though he didn't see since he was still looking down. "It was my ready room before it was yours, Captain. Oh, the things we should have done in here," she paused as she stepped over towards the windows to glance out with her hand briefly grazing the railing that separated the upper and lower levels of her ready room. Chakotay walked around his desk and up the stairs to stand beside her.

"Care to enlighten me on what we should have done in here?" he asked allowing a wicked smile to spread across his face.

She returned his smile with one of her own. "Not now, Captain, but maybe before  _Voyager_  gets turned to scrap metal I'll share my little fantasy. However, right now, our presence is needed with Dr. Killarney as you do need to meet your future son-in-law, remember?"

"Ahh yes, but of course." He stopped and stared down at her. It'd been several days since he'd actually seen her wear her the full Admiral's Starfleet uniform, and he had momentarily forgotten how she looked in it.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. You've just been out of your uniform so much lately that I'd briefly forgotten how you looked in your uniform."

She smirked and grabbed him by the arm. "Come on, Captain Chakotay, we've got a mission to accomplish so we don't disappoint our daughter."

He nodded his head and followed her out of the ready room as they made their way towards the passageway that connected  _Voyager_  with Deep Space Nine.

Once onboard Deep Space Nine, the duo progressed towards the infirmary, which was now being run by Dr. Michael Killarney as Dr. Julian Bashir had previously retired. Numerous crewmembers stopped and chatted to Chakotay and Kathryn as they made their way. At one point, Chakotay had gotten stopped by a former Maquis officer when he realized that Kathryn, who had been previously talking with another of her cohorts, had suddenly donned her red alert stance. Chakotay wondered what was up as she had not taken that stance in a long time, and that's when he saw her approaching another officer, one that he suddenly realized was wearing Captain's pips.

"Oh shit," Chakotay said under his breath but loud enough that his former Maquis crewmate had heard him. "Excuse me," he stated as he hurriedly walked away from his former crewmember and in an attempt to catch up to Kathryn.


	17. Chapter 17

"Admiral Janeway, it's so nice to see you," he stated with so much sugar coating his tone that Kathryn half expected to see a pile of cookies come up and land on the floor beside of her. He was being too nice and she had a feeling there was an ulterior motive.

She stopped in front of him and gave him a stern glare but remembering what she had promised her daughter, she decided not to assault him.

"Captain Calhoun," she said very dryly. "What brings the  _Excalibur_  to this portion of space? I thought you all were patrolling the other side of the quadrant?"

The question had caught him off guard and he paused a second too long before he responded, which caused Kathryn to smirk at him. She knew he was up to something, and somehow she would find out what. He knew he had to choose his words carefully before replying, but he also knew that if he lied, which he would have to do, the Admiral would pick that up quickly.

"Well, we were called in to DS9 for an emergency briefing," he said partially telling the truth and partially not but the second he had said the word emergency, he knew he had made a mistake.

The look that came across the Admiral's face was unlike anything he had ever seen. She closed the distance between them and stepped closer into his personal space.

"Similar to that  _ **emergency**_  mission that  _Excalibur_  was called on several months ago that took you hastily away from Capella IV?" she questioned authoritatively making sure to add strong emphasis to the word emergency.

He swallowed hard and realized she had done her homework and she did know that there was no emergency mission as he had placed in his report.

"Admiral that was an entirely different situation."

"Really?" she asked as her tone started to slightly rise. "That's not what the Starfleet records verify, Captain."

Calhoun was at a loss because she'd backed him in to a corner, as she had on several prior occasions and it was one reason he never liked her too much because she was smarter than him and knew every move any starship ever made. She was thorough in her research and she had stuck her daughter on his ship.  _The incredulity of that woman,_  he often repeated to himself. Now, she was in his space and had him just where she wanted and the cocked eyebrow and ultimate death glare had him unnerved.

Chakotay stepped up beside of Kathryn, and while he couldn't put his arm on her back or do anything to physically calm her down, the glare she was giving Calhoun was about to create turbulence.

"Everything okay here, Admiral? Captain Calhoun," he addressed him solemnly.

"Captain Chakotay, it is great to see you," he practically beamed in relief of the interruption. "I'm sure DS9 is very grateful for your collection of the reserves although I heard you had some slight issues with your ship while en route."

Chakotay nodded his head. "Word travels fast, huh, Calhoun?  _Voyager_ did sustain some damage from some unknown space debris, but fortunately, we had someone onboard who was able to repair it with such precision that we were able to continue our mission for DS9 without any further interruptions."

One could immediately tell the look of, was it jealousy? Tension? Chakotay couldn't tell what it was, but there was a look that crept upon Calhoun's face that Chakotay knew was aimed towards Commander Janeway.

"Ahh, yes, the new interim First Officer, Commander Kate Janeway, I do believe" he stated and paused glancing briefly at the Admiral and carefully plotting his words. "She is quite the expert at in-flight repairs."

Chakotay couldn't help but hide his smirk. "She's an expert at many other things, as well, Captain. It's a shame that  _Excalibur_  never gave her the opportunities that she so deserved to prove her capabilities as a First Officer."

Calhoun cocked his head sideways with such arrogance that Chakotay wanted to knock it off him. "She's very fortunate to have survived her encounter with the Borg."

That was it. That comment alone was the last straw that was needed. Shockingly, it wasn't Kathryn that jumped first. Before she could even react, Chakotay had nearly slammed Calhoun into the bulkhead behind him.

"If she hadn't been left for dead by her commanding officer, Captain, she wouldn't have had to have nearly lost her life. It is unfortunate that you did lose a crew member, Ensign Adley, or did you forget about that like you apparently forgot that most Starfleet Captains don't leave any crew members behind to die."

Calhoun gasped for air as Chakotay had practically shocked him by his swift movement. Kathryn was stunned, and she had to stop this before it escalated even further.

"Captains!" she ordered while attempting to pull Chakotay off of Calhoun, which proved to be a futile effort because he was so much stronger than she was. "Captain Chakotay! Let go of him, now. That's an order!" she barked at him in one of her fiercest Admiral voices.

Reluctantly and somewhat regretfully, Chakotay let go of Calhoun and backed away. Fortunately, they had not amassed a crowd and no one had seen what had just transpired. Calhoun's smug look returned to his face, and Kathryn's inner anger was building more and more. While part of her was proud of Chakotay for standing his ground, she worried over how Calhoun may handle this down the road.

Attempting to calm her voice, she spoke. "Gentleman, please, let's ease up the tension. We are all in a business where things happen that we have no control over. Decisions have to be made and repercussions will happen as a result of those decisions. And ultimately, sometimes we have to be held accountable for the decisions we may have made. I've been in both of your shoes before. Being a former Captain, I know what it's like to make sudden choices and decisions. I know what it's like to lose crewmembers to attack. It's not an easy profession whatsoever, but we have to dig deep and follow the procedures laid out before us.

"Captain Calhoun, I know for a fact that you didn't make the correct decision in leaving two of your crewmembers behind to fend for themselves, actually, it was a direct violation of Starfleet protocol. But, you nonetheless made that decision, and maybe one day, you'll realize that." She paused to look between the two captains and realizing that this would only get worse before it got better, she decided to end this now. "Captain Chakotay, I believe we have a meeting that we are already late for, so if you'll excuse us, Captain Calhoun."

Chakotay took a step away from Calhoun, as did Kathryn, but Calhoun wasn't yet finished. He wanted to have the last word and have the dagger pierce deep in to the hearts of two people who were currently on his hate list.

"You know, Admiral," he stated causing her to stop mid-stride and turn halfway to look back at him. "I could understand why you would be upset over my decision, after all it did affect your daughter," he added strong emphasis on that word, "but I can't quite understand why Captain Chakotay would have such an interest. Although, I guess with her now being his First Officer, he would defend and protect his crew. It's a shame though that her stint onboard  _Voyager_  will be short-lived as we know that this is  _Voyager's_  last mission. It's equally a shame that when I become Captain of the new  _Voyager_ , that she won't be onboard the new ship either."

At first, Kathryn swore she had to have heard that wrong. There's no way in hell she could have heard Calhoun say that he would be the next captain.  _So, that's what he's doing here_ , she thought to herself.

"What did you say?" Chakotay questioned with a clipped tone before Kathryn could ask herself for clarification.

"You heard me, Chakotay. It's my intention to become the captain of the new  _Voyager,_  and I can't think of one person more qualified for the job than me. The new  _Voyager_  is going to be prestigious and immaculate. It is an honor for anyone to command a vessel of that size and magnitude. With your impending retirement, it's a shame that you won't get to sit in that Captain's seat. I'll be sure to take good care of it for you, actually for the both of you," he stated with such an air of arrogance that Chakotay felt vomit come up in the back of his throat.

Kathryn, who was further away from Calhoun than Chakotay, bolted past Chakotay before he could even attempt to grab her and she stormed up in to his face, crowding him more than she had previously before she ultimately rammed him into the bulkhead with such a furor that it stunned both men that someone of her smaller stature could muster the strength. The fierce glare etched upon her face coinciding with the absolute erect posture made her look utterly fearsome even if she was shorter in stature than both of the men. She stared long and hard at Calhoun, almost as if she were trying to unnerve him and dare him to blink. He did blink first and Chakotay could see the look of arrogance vanish from his face as it now showed a little bit of possible fear.

"You may  _THINK_  you are the most qualified candidate, but you, nor I, even know who all has applied for this absolutely prestigious position. But, after all you've done and the protocol which you have violated on so many occasions, it will be over my dead body before I let you assume that Captain's chair."

Chakotay had never heard her so forceful, so absolute and so angry. It was even fiercer than she had gotten with Kullah, Seska and the Kazan. She had practically spit those last words out of her mouth into Calhoun's face before she subsequently spun so fast on her heels and marched past Chakotay down the extended corridor out of sight. She was gone in such a fast pace that Calhoun couldn't even respond, which is likely what Kathryn wanted.

Chakotay turned and hastily retreated to catch-up with her as he knew she was about to explode. Once Chakotay turned the corner, he practically knocked her down as she had stopped and was bracing herself against a bulkhead. She was about to say something, but he shook his head in an indication that he didn't know which way Calhoun had retreated. He gently grabbed her by the arm and advanced further down the corridor before they ducked into a conference room. As the doo slid shut, Chakotay indicated for the computer to lock the door and mark it as occupied.

"That son of a bitch!" Kathryn practically shouted while pacing furiously in circles around the conference room table. "What audacity he has to think he is the only one qualified to command that vessel! What even gives him the right to even apply for it?"

Chakotay grabbed her by the arms and forced her to stop. "Kathryn!" he practically ordered, which caused her to stop and look up at him.

"Chakotay!" she said with exasperation evident throughout her voice. "How can he do this?"

Chakotay couldn't help but smile. It was one moment where she asked a question and had all but dropped her authority and command. He tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and held her gaze.

"You know anyone can apply for the job. In some ways, the new  _Voyager_  would be a promotion compared to the  _Excalibur_  as the size of the ship is going to be nearly twice the size of the  _Excalibur_. So, can you really fault him for applying for it? But does he deserve it? Or is he the most qualified? Absolutely not. Jameson probably just gave him a courtesy interview, at least I sure hope it is simply that."

Instinctively, she reached out to Chakotay and placed her hand on his arm. Whether it was to steady herself and calm herself back down or if it was just an instinct, he didn't know and in reality, didn't care. He watched as her facial expression changed back to complete sincerity, the Admiral's mask quickly returning to her appearance.

"Chakotay, I meant exactly what I said though. It will be over my dead body before he assumes the Captain's seat onboard  _Voyager_. So help me God, I will do anything in my power to stop him from getting that post. Even if they don't choose Kate to command the ship, I will be damned if I allow them to choose Calhoun over her or anyone else. Hell will freeze over before Mackenzie Calhoun gets past Kathryn Janeway in this battle. Do you understand me?"

Chakotay was initially taken aback by her forwardness, but deep down while he knew the Admiral was out and in full force, a little bit of the true Kathryn was mixing in to this equation. She was loyal and protective over those she loved, not just her daughter but her love and respect for Starfleet in general. He smiled a little before replying.

"Loud and clear, Admiral. But, Kathryn, if Kate was not applying for this job and if all this other stuff with her on  _Excalibur_  had not happened, would you be reacting in the same manner?"

She knew he had a valid point, but she was not to be deterred. "Absolutely! Yes, with Kate being involved it adds a new level of interest for me as I will protect my baby girl with every fathom of my being. But, Chakotay, you don't know all the investigations that Calhoun has been under prior to her arrival on  _Excalibur_. He's been on Starfleet's radar for a number of years, even when he was serving onboard several other ships. I'm not saying he's not a good Starfleet officer, but he is not ethical and not by the book. He's done a lot of speculative things and Starfleet has kept him under their watchful eye. My assigning Kate to that ship had nothing to do with spying on him whatsoever, so don't even think that. He and I have butted heads long before I knew she was my daughter, but even now, I'm determined to keep him off that ship, and if I have to take it to Jameson or go above him, I will. I'll go all the way to the President of the Federation if need be."

He nodded his head while watching her carefully. She knew where this line of questioning was coming from, but she was determined that no matter what it took, she would keep Calhoun off of any new command vessel. She started pacing again, which caused him to step closer to her and reach out instinctively to stop her.

"Kathryn," he said softly trying to calm the tension that was ridiculing her body as he could tell she was on edge. "I know how you feel, and I know you're upset."

"I sense a but coming," she interrupted.

"However," he added with a smirk, "We can't always protect Kate."

He didn't even get to finish. "Like hell we can't, Chakotay! She is my daughter, and I will protect and defend her until the day I die. It's the least I can do after I abandoned her all those years ago."

He nodded his head and realized that this was what it was all about. He stepped directly in front of her and grabbed both of her hands in his own.

"That's what this is all about?" he whispered to her.

He watched as her body language went from defensive to somewhat semi-alert and then she lowered her shoulders a little, almost as if she were accepting defeat, which he knew was not a word in her vocabulary. He released one of her hands and placed his hand on the side of her cheek.

"Kathryn," he said in such a soothing voice that her eyes closed as she leaned into his hand. "Look at me," he asked just as softly and watched as her beautiful blue eyes fluttered back open. "I know you love her and will protect her as long as you live, but she is a grown woman. We cannot always hold her hand and protect her. She has to learn some things on her own. You didn't abandon her, and she's forgiven you for that. You protected her then by making the right decision in placing her in the care of those who could raise her. I'm not saying you couldn't have, but you made the right decision. And, she and I both have moved past that.

"Please, let that go for all of our sakes because that does not need to consume you anymore. We have our baby girl in our lives, and she is happy. We all are. We can't control what may or may not happen with this new ship. And while I feel the same exact way about Calhoun, we have to listen to what Kate said and allow him to hang his own self. He wants nothing more than to bring everyone else down to make him look like the good guy, but he's digging his own hole. We can support her and make her realize how much we love her, but we weren't there on Capella IV and in that shuttle. We weren't responsible for her survival. She's tough, Kathryn, just like you, and the word defeat isn't in her vocabulary either. She won't bow down or cower to him, just like you won't. Ease up just a little because I'm not willing to lose you due to a heart attack or something else due to overreacting. I can promise you that down the road, she is going to need us for something. Keep your mind open to other possibilities for ways we can help her. Okay?" he suggested lightly while stepping closer to her and pulling her to him.

She stood still for a few seconds, almost as if she were paralyzed by his gaze. She finally slowly nodded her head.

"I'll try my best, Chakotay, but you know how hard that is for me." She smiled and stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his cheek, which caused him in turn to place a kiss on her lips.

"Sealed with a kiss, huh?" she asked breathlessly when she pulled away.

"The best way to seal our promises, right?"

She rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his chest. "Chakotay, you are incorrigible."

Wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer to him, he whispered in her ear, "But you love me just the same and all the more because of it."

"Always and forever, Chakotay," she added before trying to wiggle free from his grasp. "As much as I'd love to christen Deep Space Nine with Janeway and Chakotay, we HAVE to go see Michael before Kate gets done with her interview. So, come on," she stated while practically pulling him out of the conference room and making their way down the extended corridors until they arrived outside of the infirmary.

Upon entering the infirmary, Chakotay couldn't help but stare at Dr. Michael Killarney. He didn't have red hair, as most would assume he would being that he was from Ireland. On the contrary, he had dark hair, almost as dark as his own, but he had the most immaculate green eyes that he had ever seen. He was almost the comparison of Kate with her dark hair and blue eyes. He watched as Kathryn greeted him with a friendly hug and some small banter ensued. She stepped back towards Chakotay and while he and Dr. Killarney had spoken over subspace communications, they had never officially met. Michael stepped towards Chakotay and extended his hand.

"Captain Chakotay, it's an absolute pleasure to meet you, as I've heard so much about you."

Chakotay nodded his head and exchanged handshakes with him. "Dr. Killarney," he started but was cut off.

"Please, Michael is fine."

"Chakotay for me then as official command structures are not always necessary with me. But it is an absolute privilege to meet you, as well. Kate often speaks about you, and I can see why."

For the next half hour or so, the three of them were given the unofficial tour of the infirmary allowing Chakotay to see the pride that Michael took in his job. They continued to small-chat about Michael's life, and he, in turn, was just as curious about Chakotay's upbringing. While the men chatted, Kathryn took the opportunity to utilize Michael's workstation where she fired off some messages to various admirals, including Admiral Jameson, inquiring about the plausibility of Captain Calhoun's role on the new  _Voyager_. She made sure to reiterate her initial review of the incidents throughout the years, as well as her most recent encounter onboard Deep Space Nine. She willingly agreed to meet with any of them to explain her hesitation at the possibility of promoting him to this esteemed position. Whether it would do any good, she didn't know, but she was determined to have her opinion heard in the matter.

She couldn't help but glance up to see how relaxed Chakotay and Michael were with each other, which was a good sign for both her and Kate. She finished up her messages and sent a quick one to Kate's personal PADD that she knew she was carrying with her. She relayed for her to join them for dinner at Celestial Café, which has recently undergone a complete renovation and re-opened under new management, around 1900.

She stood up and walked over to where the two guys were chatting. They stopped talking as she walked up and glanced up at her.

"You okay?" Chakotay asked.

"Fine. Just fired off a few messages after our ordeal earlier."

Michael raised his eyebrows as his curiosity was piqued. "Everything alright, Admiral?"

She smiled at him relishing his delicious Irish accent. "Yes, I'm fine. We just had a little run in with Captain Calhoun earlier."

At this, a wide smile slowly crept across his face. "Ahhh, and yet no one reported to my sickbay with any injuries?"

They couldn't help but chuckle. "It was a close call," Chakotay started. "Kathryn practically body-slammed him into a bulkhead."

She instinctively put her hands on her hips. "I did not!" she protested and then stopped. "Okay, fine, I kind of did, but he did, too," she stated while pointing towards Chakotay.

"Was he insulting my Katy? Because if he was, maybe I need to go delay the  _Excalibur's_ departure."

"Their departure?" Kathryn asked before she could stop herself.

"Ah yes, not long before you all arrived, I received the station notification that  _Excalibur_ was departing. They weren't even here 24 hours, which I found rather odd. But, it was odd they came at all since they so rarely frequent this side of the quadrant. Anyways, we receive notices anytime a new ship or something docks with the station."

Kathryn waved him off to get him to stop talking. "Yes, yes, I understand about the notifications, but wonder why the sudden hasty departure?" she asked to herself more so than anyone else.

"Maybe he was afraid that my Katy was going to engage in an all-out brawl," Michael jokingly replied.

Chakotay eyed Kathryn before adding to the melee. "Well, if Calhoun and Kate likely did run in to each other, I can almost guarantee that she would've handled herself better than we did. But, it makes me wonder if he didn't know about  _Voyager's_  quicker arrival and he made haste to get out of dodge before he had to deal with Kate's wrath."

"Which can only rival that of her mother's," Michael added while obtaining a glare in return from the Admiral. "You know I'm just kidding, Admiral."

"How many times have I told you to call me Kathryn?" she blurted out.

"Ahh, well you see, ma'am," another word that she detested and he received an eye-roll from. "It's kind of hard to not recognize your formal command. It may just seem a tad awkward."

"But you call him Chakotay?" she exclaimed and questioned in the same tone.

Michael stood up and went to stand beside of Kathryn and he casually draped an arm around her shoulders, which made her break out into a wide smile. Chakotay liked seeing how the two of them joked around.

"You know Madam Admiral," he started which resorted in a noise from Kathryn and Chakotay couldn't help but laugh. "That hair color is still quite a bit extreme."

She rolled her eyes. "First, you won't call me Kathryn and now you're calling me Madam Admiral? I could choke you! And you don't like the red? I'm terribly sorry, I figured it might make you feel closer to your Irish roots. Although, it has lightened up considerable from the last time you saw it."

"Touché, touché," Michael added while hugging Kathryn once more. "I'm glad you and Katy seemed to have reconciled things. I was worried about both of you for a while. She loves you more than life, Kathryn, but it's not been an easy road for her and she's had struggles that I know she's not even shared with me. But, I can tell by the tone in her messages and when I see her in our subspace communications that she is happy. There's a beam in her eyes, and I think that's in part to the both of you reconnecting. No matter what happens down the road, Katy is going to be just fine."

Kathryn patted Michael on the arm. "I likely owe you an apology."

"For what?"

"Well, I put you in a pickle a year or so ago when I popped in to Deep Space Nine to see you."

Michael couldn't help but laugh. "I knew what you were up to. You wanted to see if I'd take the bait and break and give you an information on Katy. You were curious as to how she was, and in reality, at that time, I had not heard from her. But even if I had, I wouldn't have told you."

Chakotay was curious as to where this conversation was headed, but in reality, he hoped it would be resolved as the wedding was drawing nigh as he surely didn't want any tension between any of the parties involved. He watched as Kathryn absorbed what Michael had just said and he noticed that her reaction didn't change much. She simply nodded her head before she replied.

"I didn't expect you would. You knew how badly she was hurting and how much of that pain was my fault. But, you know, I had to test you anyways. So, I apologize for putting you in that position. I know how much you love my Kate and I know you'll take good care of her."

He couldn't help but laugh. "You're right about that, Admiral, but our relationship will be anything but normal. Should she get the promotion to the new  _Voyager_ , there's no way I could serve as the physician onboard the ship, as protocol wouldn't allow that. So, no matter what, I'm pretty much resigned to staying here on Deep Space Nine, but we will work things out. And, if we have you two as an example, of proving how love can obviously never die after all those years apart, Katy and I will be just fine."

Chakotay moved to stand beside Kathryn and he wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her closer to him. "You're right, Michael. No matter how far apart you may be from the one you love, you always have them in your heart and love will always keep you together."

"Well," Kathryn interrupted, "Before we get all too mushy, I've made us reservations at Celestial Café for 1900. Are you gentlemen up for joining me?"

"Celestial Café?" Chakotay questioned.

"Oh yes," Michael chimed in. "It's undergone a complete renovation and just recently re-opened. It is the talk of Starfleet at the moment as reservations are very hard to come by. But since you're dating an Admiral, you're lucky. I've eaten there once since the new group took it over, and it is incredible. You'll be amazed, my friend. Is Katy going to join us?"

Kathryn nodded. "I left her a message on her personal PADD to join us once she finished with her interview. She may have gone back to  _Voyager_  or something as I haven't heard from her, but I'm sure she will join us there."

"Well, if the Admiral is paying, I say we go ahead because I am starving," Chakotay joked to which he obtained a smack on the arm from her in response. "Michael, are you good to go now?"

He nodded his head. "Absolutely. I always remain on call but my evening staff comes in," and he paused as the doors slid open, "right now. They handle most of the smaller things while I am off-duty."

Eventually, after Michael relayed some final instructions to the evening medical shift, he, Chakotay and Kathryn left the infirmary and headed towards Celestial Café, where a line had formed out into the promenade. Chakotay glanced at Kathryn and raised an eyebrow at the crowds that were strolling the promenade. He spotted Tom and B'Elanna in line.

"Ugh!" B'Elanna made a sound when Chakotay came over to them. "We've been waiting in line for over 30 minutes just to try to get our names on the list. This is ridiculous. I told Tom I'd rather go to the Klingon restaurant."

Chakotay glanced at Kathryn who had taken the fast pass and was already halfway into the restaurant. He gave her a nod towards Tom and B'Elanna.

"According to Dr. Killarney, this is the new hotspot," Chakotay replied.

"Lucky that you're with the Admiral as she's got pull apparently," B'Elanna retorted.

"She called in reservations hours ago, B'Elanna," Chakotay almost defended Kathryn. "Maybe you'll get there before too long," he added before turning and heading to catch up with Kathryn and Michael.

"What's the matter?" Kathryn asked once Chakotay rejoined them.

"Tom and B'Elanna have being waiting in line for over 30 minutes and still haven't even gotten their name on the list. I kind of feel bad for them."

Kathryn eyed Chakotay before she stepped away for a moment to speak with the maître d'. He didn't ask any questions when she returned, but as they were walking towards their seats, he couldn't help but overhear the maître d' call out "Lieutenants Paris and Torres?"

He caught Kathryn's sideways smirk and he just shook his head.  _Sometimes it pays to have connections_ , he thought to himself as he turned to glance back at Tom and B'Elanna who had looks of utter shock on their faces.

The maître d' had promised Kathryn the best table in the house with the greatest views, and he was absolutely correct because when they arrived at their table, they all were intrigued with the various views that surrounded them at all angles. Their seats were slightly elevated over the remainder of the restaurant so they couldn't help but see who all had been granted access to the restaurant.

Chakotay was mesmerized, "Well, this is certainly an upgrade compared to what this place used to be like."

Michael laughed, "It's upscale in comparison to Quark's. I keep trying to get them to bring in an Irish pub type restaurant but they just give me the look."

"I actually would love that," Kathryn practically beamed. "We have a holodeck program," and she paused realizing that Fair Haven caused her ultimately redesign a character to her own specification, which was eerily similar to Chakotay. She glanced over at Chakotay who simply smirked at her.

"Kathryn, go ahead, there's nothing wrong with talking about Fair Haven and your relationship with ironically, Michael O'Sullivan, even though I would have loved to have decked him on the spot."

Kathryn's eyes widened as she never had suspected Chakotay had been jealous of her relationship with her holo-character, Michael. "Well, I was just going to say that there's just something about Ireland that is so captivating."

Chakotay raised his eyebrows. "I didn't know you loved Ireland that much aside from Fair Haven."

Kathryn eyed him suspiciously before replying. "Very much so. I've been quite a few times. It is amazing, almost like being at home. And no, Chakotay, it has nothing to do with Fair Haven. I had gone to Ireland many times prior to that holodeck program."

"Well, maybe then you and I need to plan an upcoming vacation," Chakotay replied with a wide smile upon his face.

Michael just shook his head. "You two act like two teenage lovebirds. It puts Katy and me to shame."

As they glanced over the menu, Chakotay took it upon himself to order them a bottle of wine. It was a celebration after all, and he was quite intrigued by Michael. The waiter brought the bottle of wine, and as Chakotay turned to glance around the restaurant, he couldn't help but see his daughter as she strolled in through the main doors. Everyone's attention was turned when a loud "Katie!" was shouted out amongst the restaurant goers. Chakotay and Kathryn's eyes simultaneously widened as they were all surprised at the reception of their daughter. She turned to Michael and asked, "Who is that?" while pointing to the older gentleman talking to Kate.

"Oh, that's JP. Don't ask me how to pronounce his real name as none of us have ever figured it out. He used to be at Starfleet Command and in charge of some of the dining there. Eventually he was transitioned over to Deep Space Nine. He was none too pleased with the condition that Celestial Café was in, so he took it upon himself to reinvest his earnings and completely redesign, remodel and just perform a complete overhaul."

Chakotay absorbed what Michael said before asking, "What's his connection to Kate?"

"Good question! I think Kate knew him when she was in the Academy, but then again she knew everyone. She has this infectious personality. She's never met a stranger, she speaks to everyone. She leaves an imprint on every person she meets. I'm not sure she gets that from either of you," he added with a dry laugh. "All kidding aside, she did do a brief volunteer stint in one of his kitchens while a student at the Academy, so I'm assuming that's where she knows him from. But it also seems everyone else on the main floor knows her, too."

They all watched in somewhat amazement how she flittered from table to table greeting various friends and acquaintances. They noticed she stopped at Tom and B'Elanna's table and lingered a little while before continuing her parade through the main floor. She eventually bobbed and weaved her way past everyone and made her way upstairs. She hugged both of her parents before giving Michael a quick kiss as he held out her chair for her to sit down.

"Always my Katy making a grand entrance," he added while wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

Shortly after Kate's arrival, their waiter arrived at their table with a platter filled with assorted goods.

"Courtesy of Mr. JP in honor of Commander Janeway," he stated while setting the platter down on their table.

Kate nodded in appreciation and she saw JP peering upstairs. She smiled and mouthed 'thank you' to him to which she received a double thumbs up in reply.

"Katy, I was just telling the Admiral and the Captain, didn't you used to work for JP briefly in one of his kitchens while at the Academy?"

She eyed him suspiciously at the way he had addressed Kathryn and Chakotay before he whispered in her ear, "I didn't call them your parents since not everyone knows yet, right?" And then she realized that while this was an official family meeting, it in reality wasn't since they still had to keep things somewhat a secret.

"Yes, I did. My first day at the Academy was quite overwhelming and he found me wandering around the kitchen staring wide-eyed at the food, as I was having a hard trying to figure what I wanted. He approached me and we instantly hit it off sharing stories, etc. He asked me some of my favorite dishes, which he later incorporated into his menu selections, and I did briefly work in one of his kitchens as a waitress before my class load became so heavy that I didn't get to stay onboard with him longer."

Michael had been staring down at the menu and he couldn't help but chuckle. "Sweetheart, I think you still are in his menu."

"What!?" Kate responded with a somewhat exasperated tone. "What do you mean?"

"Look at the name for one of the sandwiches," to which Michael leaned over and pointed out to Kate and subsequently Kathryn and Chakotay.

Before any of them could respond, JP had joined them at the table. "My sweet, Katie, wouldn't you care to introduce me to your guests? Well, hello there, Dr. Killarney," he stated before she could even reply.

"Well, obviously you already know Dr. Killarney, Michael, who I am getting married to in a few weeks, and in case you forgot," JP interrupted her.

"No, no, no, Miss Katie. You know I haven't forgotten that I'm helping to cater and provide food for your magical day."

She smiled and continued, "And as for my other two esteemed guests, well, this is Admiral Kathryn Janeway, also known as my mother, and Captain Chakotay of  _Voyager_."

JP looked pleasantly pleased and excited to meet them both. "Oooh, the infamous Janeway and Chakotay that," and he stopped when he caught a death glare from Kate. "Ah, yes, anyways, Admiral, Captain, it is such a pleasure to officially meet you. Admiral, I believe I've seen you in a few of my restaurants before back at Starfleet Command. Maybe?"

She, who had been so caught up in the moment, hadn't likely uttered a sound in a few moments. "Um, more than likely so, at some point, Mr. JP."

"Well, it is a pleasure to officially meet you. Anyone who is a friend and/or family member of Miss Katie's is always a friend and family member of mine," he stated while exchanging handshakes with all of them.

"JP, thank you so much for this assortment."

"Ah little Miss Katie, you are more than welcome, but did you see you are on the official Celestial Café menu?"

She couldn't help but laugh. "Michael actually just pointed that out to me. You didn't have to do that."

"Oh contraire, my pet! This was one of the most favored sandwiches in the restaurant at the Academy, and it was you who helped me create it. So, it should be rightfully named after its designer. Well, you all enjoy this and whatever else your little heart's desire as it is all on me tonight."

Chakotay raised his hand. "No, sir, we couldn't possibly impose and…"

JP wouldn't let him finish. "Captain, don't argue with me. This is on me and that is final."

Kathryn cut her eyes at Chakotay and smirked. "Thank you, JP that is very kind of you. Since you won't allow us to pay for ours, there are a couple of special Lieutenants of ours that are here that I'd like to pick up the tab for. Can you arrange that the bill for Paris and Torres is already paid and that we'll make the arrangements, but don't let them know that?"

"Most definitely, mi amore," he stated while dashing off to find the waiter responsible for their table. Kate watched him as he spoke with the waiter and then pointed up towards the upper level. She couldn't help but laugh as her mother just kept shaking her head.

"That man is too hyper, even for me," Kathryn stated which caused some laughter at the table.

"He must have his coffee injected directly in to his veins," Chakotay chided her. "Thank God you never thought of that idea."

"Chakotay, don't give me any ideas! You know how much I love my coffee."

They began eating on their platter and ordered their official foods once the waiter came back around. The remainder of the evening, they spent small-chatting and catching up. Kathryn couldn't hold out any longer and she finally spilled the question that was hanging over the room like a cloud.

"Well, how'd everything go with Admiral Jameson?"

Kate had just taken a bite and had a mouthful of her infamous sandwich and she attempted to reply "Fine" but it came out quite muffled.

"Just fine?" Kathryn quizzed with an arched eyebrow.

Chakotay nudged her under the table. They had had a pleasant evening and enjoyable dinner thus far and he didn't want the two Janeway girls' tempers to get flared up because Deep Space Nine might tilt if those two broke out in an argument. Sensing his intention, Kathryn rephrased her question.

"Sorry, honey, I don't mean to pry, but I guess as your mother, I was just curious how everything went. We don't have to talk about it though."

Kate, who was still chewing, shook her head no and attempted to say, "No, it is okay," but nearly choked on her sandwich. Michael slapped her on the back and her eyes practically blared. Once she swallowed and took a sip of her drink, she jerked her head towards him. "That wasn't very doctorly of you. I was quite fine. She just keeps asking me questions when my mouth is full, and etiquette says not to reply with a mouth full of food. Nor should you slap the crap out of my back, what happened to bedside manners?" she chided him to which she received an adorable smile from her fiancé in reply.

"Sorry," Kate stated while looking over towards Kathryn. "Everything went fine. It was with Admiral Jameson, and he had Admirals Aymes, Kissane and Osorno joining in via subspace communications from Command. Standard interview with reviewing my Starfleet record, achievements, basic questions about my qualifications, aspirations, etc. And, for what it's worth, your name only came up once when they asked if I was merely following in my mother's footsteps and whether I wanted to command  _Voyager_  solely for that reason, to which I gave them an honest reply of yes and no."

Kathryn and Chakotay absorbed what she was telling them. Chakotay only knew three of the four Admiral's names, but he could tell by Kathryn's reactions, that she not only knew them all but anticipated they would be the ones on the committee. Typically, she would be on the selection committee, and likely would be down the road when the official vote went to all the Admirals, but she had to be excluded from this one for obvious reasons.

"Yes and no?" she questioned in response to Kate's later statement.

"Here's what I told them, and maybe it will help clarify for you. Basically, I told them that I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't partially following in your footsteps. I explained to them that while I didn't grow up with you, I always grew up knowing that my Mom was a member of Starfleet, although I didn't know until I was in my teen years exactly what you did. I told them as a young child, the prospect of space travel and space service had always appealed to me. I assumed it was engrained in me as part of my upbringing with the Native Americans and how we always were more in tune with nature and such. I explained to them that my decision to join Starfleet was not based on the fact that you were there. I even told them how when I was in one of your classes, we never even connected on a personal level until after the course was completed. I went on to explain to them how I made it very clear to you that I never wanted your help in succeeding in any way, shape or form within Starfleet. It was my decision to enroll as I wanted to better serve our Federation.

"I explained how as a young child I had read up on various ships and vessels that Starfleet had, and was always intrigued most by the  _Enterprise_ and  _Voyager_  because of their power, design, structure, etc. I let them know my dream was always to serve onboard both of those vessels, and it had nothing to do with who may have been in the Captain's seat at any point in those ships' histories. It was absolutely coincidental that you happened to be the former Captain of  _Voyager_. They brought up the whole initial application for  _Voyager_  and how that was thwarted and asked how I felt. I told them that I was hurt and upset and very angry at you initially because it had been my dream, but over the course of the past few years, I had grown and matured and had realized that while  _Excalibur_  may not have been my dream, I learned a lot while serving on that ship – I learned a lot about what one should and should not do in command. Then I explained that when Captain Chakotay had offered me the interim role as First Officer onboard  _Voyager_ , it was fulfilling a dream, and I went on to explain that while serving with the amazing crew on this ship, that should Chakotay not be willing to remain on as Captain, I would like to give it a shot."

Chakotay glanced over at Kathryn, who looked completely enthralled. "You told them all of that?" she asked almost in disbelief.

"What?! Did I go overboard? I mean you told me to be true to myself, but I know you usually perform these types of interviews. Shoot, maybe, I should have…"

Chakotay coughed getting her to stop babbling, something that her own mother was known for doing on occasion. He looked towards Kathryn for a response and he saw her break out in to a wide smile.

"Sweetheart, had I been on the selection committee and you weren't my daughter, what you had just said, right there alone, that allowed me to see your passion, dedication and commitment to Starfleet. I would have given you the job right there on the spot. Most of those others Admirals are pretty decent folks. I know them all and most do serve on committees with me. They'll relay their decision and likely narrow it down to two or three and then conduct a second round of interviews at Command unless they have found their one selection and then it would go before the big committee to decide upon. But, you were not too open and too honest. I know most of the types of questions they grill you on, and that's one reason I couldn't offer to help you because you didn't need to seem coached or prepped. Just what you said there was great. I don't know what will happen, but I've got high hopes."

Michael draped his arms around her shoulders and said, "Well, my Katy has to be better than the other candidate."

Kate turned her head towards him and made a motion with her head indicating "Who?" without saying it. The looks on Kathryn and Chakotay's face registered shock at Michael having just boldly blurted out what he had said.

"One of the three of you better spill it now, or I'm walking out," she had gone completely serious and it had happened so fast, Chakotay inhaled sharply at the realization of how quickly she had just transformed from Kate to Commander or something else in such a fashion that was uncanny to how Kathryn could morph. Her glaring from one to the other was intimidating to say the least, and he knew he was going to be the one to crack first.

Chakotay had opened his mouth to respond, when Michael, who apparently had had too much wine to drink, dropped the bombshell. "Well Katy, my pet, apparently your pa, uh, I mean the Admiral and the Captain apparently had a run in with Calhoun earlier, and apparently, he was here to meet with the Admirals, too."

Kate shook her head and looked at him first. "Would you stop saying apparently? And quit drinking, you know I don't like it when you've had too much to drink, and I can and will still call off the wedding if you don't change your ways."

Kathryn and Chakotay sat to attention at that statement.  _What had gotten in to her,_ Kathryn wondered to herself. Eventually Kate turned her attention to the two of them before she stated, "Please tell me that he's drunk and doesn't have a clue what he is talking about."

This time Chakotay didn't hold back. "Sadly, he's not. Your mother and I did have a run-in with Calhoun."

"Oh hell," Kate replied, "So do I dare take a venture to say that neither of you likely did what I told you?"

Michael laughed, "Nope, they didn't because apparently the Admiral body-slammed him into the bulkhead and the Captain may or may not have done so, too. Either way, they terrified him so much the  _Excalibur_ departed within minutes of their encounter."

She stared at him speculating whether he was telling the truth or not. He hadn't had that much to drink, so naturally she assumed it was the truth. She placed her napkin on the table and held up her right hand.

"Please tell me that is not true?" she asked while directing the question exclusively at both of her parents.

"Uh," Chakotay started and Kate closed her eyes and shook her head and slightly rubbed her left temple.

"I'm going to need something stronger to drink and I don't even usually drink," she mumbled under her breath. "One of the two of you, talk now!"

Kathryn decided she'd fess up, at least partially. "Well, Chakotay and I were on our way to see Michael and we were stopped talking to a few fellow crewmates and such. I broke away from Chakotay as he was talking to a Maquis friend, and Captain Calhoun rounded the corner greeting me with so much syrup in his voice, I was waiting for the bottle to fall out of his mouth. Anyways, I inquired as to why  _Excalibur_  was on this side of the quadrant and could immediately tell that he was lying about his reasoning claiming it was for an emergency meeting. Of course when he said the word emergency, I couldn't bite my tongue."

"Oh brother, here it comes," Kate muttered to herself and couldn't help but notice Chakotay's smirk.

Kathryn ignored Kate's comment and continued her story. "Well, before he could really reply to my accusation regarding getting called away on so many non-existent emergencies, this one here," she paused and pointed to Chakotay, "strolls up and starts a conversation with him. And let's just put it this way that the Native American's aren't always the quiet ones."

Kate gave him a stare down as if to ask him 'just what did you do?' and she wondered what was about to come out of their mouths. "Continue," she deadpanned.

"Well, Calhoun made a reference to  _Voyager_  having to have had some repair work done and Chakotay replied basically saying they had someone qualified onboard to fix the repairs flawlessly. Of course, Calhoun fired back by bringing up your name. Chakotay kept his calm by stating that yes, you were the new First Officer and that you were talented in many ways besides space ship repair, but he also decided to take a jab at him, not physically, by making an off-hand comment about you not getting that same opportunity on  _Excalibur_. Well, apparently that set something off within Calhoun because he retorted back by saying how lucky you were to have survived the Borg attack, and well that did it, Chakotay pretty much threw him up against the bulkhead and had a little heart-to-heart about Captain's not abandoning their crew. I was shocked to say the least because this one had promised to be stoic and keep me from crossing the line."

Kathryn was trying to make light of the situation and make it somewhat comical, but Kate was not seeing it in that same light. She glanced at Chakotay and said "This for real?"

He simply nodded in return before adding, "She's exaggerating on the fact that I threw him up against the bulkhead because I did not do that. However, it gets better when she involves herself."

He turned to her and gave her one of his boyish smiles all but encouraging her to continue.

Rolling her eyes, Kathryn continued. "Well, after I finally separated the two boys and tried to give them a story about how we all are faced with making difficult decisions as Captains, I decided it was time we just call it a day and head on. But, Calhoun wasn't done. He decided to casually make some off-hand comment about Chakotay retiring and how he had applied for the job onboard  _Voyager_  and how he was the most qualified for the job and…"

Kathryn stopped abruptly as Kate sprayed water across the table. "He applied for  _Voyager_? Oh, my God!" She closed her eyes and craned her neck backwards as if she were shaking off this bad thought and a bad dream. She waved her hand at the nearest waiter. "I'm sorry, we had a little accident. Do you have any extra napkins?" The waiter dashed off to get some towels to clean up the water from Kate's mishap.

_If she thought that was bad, just wait until she hears how her mother reacted_ , Chakotay thought to himself while trying to help Kate clean up the water.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to react in that way. Is that all?" Kate practically begged for that to be the end of the discussion.

"Oh no!" Chakotay added grinning like a Cheshire cat. "It just keeps getting better, right Admiral?"

Kathryn rolled her eyes. "Do you want to finish the story, Captain?"

"No, ma'am, the honor is all yours."

Shaking her head she finally concluded her narrative. "Anyways, prior to his outrageous statement about him applying to be the Captain, I had taken a few steps down the corridor, and when he said it, I had half turned back. Chakotay asked him to repeat what he had said because I swear I thought I must have heard him wrong, too, and was grateful that Chakotay asked that. He repeated what he had said and then threw in some comment about how he'd take good care of the Captain's seat for both me and Chakotay with that utter arrogant, smug look on his face. I don't know what came in to my being but I flew past Chakotay before he could stop me and I literally rammed Calhoun into the wall."

Kate rolled her eyes far in to the back of her head and just shook her head.

"Please God tell me that no one else witnessed this?"

Chakotay shook his head in somewhat relief. "She's not finished yet. There's the grand finale."

Kate waved the waiter over and said, "Can you please bring me some strong, fruity concocted drink?"

Michael, who had been quiet this entire time as he was completely intrigued by the re-enactment of the story, roared with laughter when Kate asked for a drink because it was highly out of character for her to drink much alcohol.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready for this, but please finish this before I pass out."

Kathryn couldn't help but smirk as she knew deep down Kate was probably proud of her parents defending her and their ship, but she also knew it was slightly making her uncomfortable in some ways, as well. Kathryn was getting ready to finish, but Chakotay interrupted her.

"Actually, I do want to finish this because what Kathryn did and said next actually shocked me but thrilled me at the same time," he paused as he looked towards her for permission to continue to which she simply nodded but looked over at Kate and couldn't help but notice the look of almost fear etched across her face.

"Anyways, when Kathryn forced him in to the bulkhead, she did it at such a stealthy pace that I couldn't even react to stop her. She paused and gave him one of the most horrific glares I have ever seen her give anyone. It was worse than anything she'd ever given to the Kazan, and part of me felt sorry for Calhoun. But deep down, I was proud. But when she spoke and said what she did, it took all I had in me not to keep my mouth from hitting the floor.

"She said and I quote word-for-word because I remember it just as if it happened seconds ago: ' _You may THINK you are the most qualified candidate, but you, nor I, even know who all has applied for this absolutely prestigious position. But, after all you've done and the protocol, which you have violated on so many occasions, it will be over my dead body before I let you assume that Captain's chair.'_ "

Chakotay let it linger in the air as he heard Kate audibly gasp and Michael's eyes widened in a manner in which looked almost inhuman.

"After she said that, she turned and walked at her record break pace down the corridor," Chakotay concluded.

Kate was in shock because in a manner of speaking her mother had basically threatened Calhoun and part of her feared the absolute repercussions of what could come from this. While those thoughts possessed a portion of Kate's mind, another portion of her was actually humbled and maybe filled with a little bit of pride that her parents would go to such extremes to defend and protect her. She momentarily shook her head letting what Chakotay had just said replay in her mind. She finally turned her gaze to her mother and asked, "Did you really say those exact words – specifically, over your dead body?"

Kathryn simply nodded her head. She wasn't going to say a word because she was slightly afraid that Kate might go off on her and here at the Celestial Café, she did not want to make a public scene.

"Mother!" Kate stated a little more loudly, but still not loudly enough for any neighboring tables to hear.

The waiter arrived with Kate's drink and she nodded her thanks, looked at the glass and practically downed in in one gulp. Chakotay, Kathryn and Michael all exchanged wide-eyed stares at how she had just chugged down the alcoholic beverage. She turned her attention back to the matter at hand and continued.

"What you said could easily be interpreted as a threat! I told the both of you to act like grown adults and not to make a scene, but apparently, neither of you listen very well. Look, I don't know Calhoun's motives behind applying for this job, but it is his choice and we all know that should he get the position, I won't be the First Officer any longer and more than likely most of the current crew either won't have jobs or they will resign. I will not work under him in any way shape or form. But he has the right to apply for the job just like anyone else, but you, Mother, are an Admiral and you, of all people, should not have reacted in that manner. He wants that. He wants to see you flustered and upset. He wants to try to use that against you because no matter how much crap he has done and how many lies he has gotten away with, he never sees anything as being his fault. He should be removed from any type of command and be thrown in the brig in my opinion, but you cannot allow him to get under your skin like that. I don't want to see either of you have charges brought up against you. I doubt he will do that because he knows going up against the two of you right now would likely cost him his appointment. But I'll ensure that I make my points for why I should be the Captain of  _Voyager_  all the more clear because it would give me the highest pleasure to lick the red off his candy, as the old saying goes."

"Lick the what?" Michael asked clearly baffled by the expression.

Kathryn couldn't help but chuckle. "Michael, it's an old saying that just basically means upsetting someone's apple cart or basically making someone go from being thrilled about the prospect of something to knocking them off their pedestal."

He nodded. "Okay that makes a little more sense. Sometimes her idioms just confuse me."

Chakotay couldn't help but smile, but part of him wondered how in the world Michael and Kate even hit it off because their banter sometimes could be interpreted as harsh. But in some ways, it also reminded him of his relationship with Kathryn over the years.

Kathryn's voice interrupted Chakotay's thoughts and brought him back to a quick reality. "Kate, honey, I had not intended to react that way, but I'm sorry, when he made the comments he made about your being fortunate to survive the Borg and such, I wanted to just assault him. If he brings charges up, let him. I've got so much evidence that I've been holding on him over the years that I'm not scared of him charging me with some menial bump in the corridor. And furthermore, with my exclusion from the initial interview process, he can't try to claim that I'm blocking him from  _Voyager_  should he not get the position. I'm not scared of him, and while I know you don't like me defending and protecting you, as your mother, that's my natural inclination to do so."

They were briefly interrupted as Michael was paged to come to the sickbay for a medical emergency. He excused himself from the table leaving the trio to stare at each other for a few moments in silence. Kate desperately wanted to change the subject and she knew her mother was sensing that desire and likely Chakotay was, too. Fortunately for the both of them, Chakotay intervened first.

"I'm intrigued, Kate," he simply stated causing her to raise her eyebrows while taking a sip from her glass of wine.

"About what?" she replied.

"You and Michael."

"What do you mean? Do you not like him?" the tone in Kate's voice pulled at Kathryn's heartstrings as it was almost like a little girl asking her Daddy why he didn't like something she had done.

"No, that's not it at all. He's a very likeable fellow, quite enjoyable actually as he and I got to know each other a little better earlier. But, it's just your relationship, well the two of you seem to be such complete opposites. Sometimes some of the things you say, it's almost like banter with a tinge of hostility. But it's also reminiscent of an older married couple or something. It's kind of complex in some manners. I guess what I'm saying is that I just never would have figured he would have been the one you would be engaged to. He seems like he can have a raucous personality compared to your melancholy."

Kate laughed and shook her head. "It is so complicated you just wouldn't even imagine. But somehow through all the chaos it works. I know ultimately as long as both of us are serving in Starfleet, we'll likely always be apart as it will be very hard to maintain a relationship and I highly doubt Starfleet would allow him to serve as the medical doctor onboard a ship should I happen to be in command of. But we do love each other even with all our quirks. Somehow it works out. He's a really good guy except when he gets too much alcohol in his system, and I don't typically drink at all, but the two of you pushed me over the edge nearly tonight and it's been a long day, so why not? But, if you object to us getting married, you better let me know because both of your opinions do matter."

Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged glances and Kate noticed the smiles that they shared with each other and the almost silent look of approval. How they communicated like that with their eyes and looks, Kate would never know. But she assumed that being stranded for seven years alone in the Delta Quadrant, you learned things about people that you likely wouldn't learn on a regular basis. How they stayed apart for so many years, she would never understand.

"What are you smiling at?" Kathryn asked Kate, who had failed to realize that while her thoughts had drifted off on her parents, it caused her to smile on instinct just thinking of the magic that they shared.

"Nothing," she replied and tried to look away.

"I don't think so, little miss. What was on your mind just then?" Kathryn pestered.

"You two."

Kathryn's eyes widened more than usual which caused Chakotay to chuckle. "I'm not sure I even want to know," he replied.

Kate shook her head. "No, nothing like that. I mean I was just sitting here watching how the two of you can communicate with looks and with your eyes. It is quite mesmerizing and amazing. I was just thinking how most people can't do that, but I suppose when you're stranded in the Delta Quadrant, all but alone except for your crew with very few places to roam, you learn things about people that you likely wouldn't pick up on in other situations. I also don't know how the two of you managed to keep your hands off of each other for as long as you did."

"Kathryn Shakonohey Janeway!" Kathryn all but proclaimed as her tone had slightly elevated, and it was one of the only times she'd ever called her daughter by her full name and the way she had pronounced her middle name sent shivers down Chakotay's spine because she had said it with such perfection of the accent.

"What!?" Kate exclaimed in return. "I didn't have any bad thoughts. I'm just saying. I mean look at you two. You're so in love with each other, you can't hardly keep your hands off each other. We've hardly seen you at all for weeks onboard the ship but you've apparently been keeping busy because you look fresher, brighter and much happier. It's no secret what's going on now. I mean you're stranded on New Earth ALONE together for how many months and NOTHING happened?

"My God, you're stubborn, Mom! I mean look at Chakotay! Even if he is my, well yeah, can't say that in this place, but he's a fine looking man. Yet you wouldn't violate the Prime Directive or Starfleet Protocol? To hell with that! Screw that and screw him instead. You wouldn't do that though because you were by the book, but wow, I don't know how you two managed because you're just absolutely perfect together."

Chakotay put his arm around Kathryn and drew her to him and kissed her on the cheek, which she instinctively closed her eyes and relished his feel and the fragrance from his cologne. "Yes, I think we are perfect, too, Kate, and you and Michael are as well. I think you know you have our blessing, even though you didn't even need to ask. And as for your mother and I, well, she is the stubborn one, there were moments that I had a very, very hard time controlling myself. But, fortunately, good things come to those who wait, right, Kathryn?"

She turned to face him and a beautiful smile radiated across her face. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips. "You're absolutely right, honey."

"Okay, enough of that at the table. You're in public!"

"You're the one who said to hell with the Prime Directive and Starfleet Protocols, Kate, so maybe I've finally grown up in my old years. I don't care if the whole universe knows how much I love this man."

Kate rolled her eyes before replying, "It's about damn time," which made Chakotay instantly laugh.

After finishing up their dessert, Tom and B'Elanna came up to thank them for helping them get reservations and they were very excited to learn their meal had been paid for. Kathryn didn't say a word, as it was the least she could do. Tom said that they were going to go over to Quark's to shoot some pool, and he thought that the Admiral should join them to show off her amazing pool skills. Shockingly, she agreed to join him, B'Elanna, Harry and a few others. Kate was initially going to go check on Michael, but she messaged him and told him where they'd be and he indicated he would join them shortly. While Kate had heard about her mother's pool skills, she had kept a secret of her own.


	18. Chapter 18

Upon entering the bar, Tom ordered a round of drinks for everyone. He asked Quark if they still kept a record of the wins at pool at Deep Space Nine, as at one point, he knew he had held the record. Mr. Quark snorted and finally replied, "Yes, we do keep the records but you don't have to look far to find the leader." Tom beamed with pride thinking Quark was referring to himself, "Not you, you idiot," Quark replied before pointing towards where Kate and Kathryn were standing. "It's her."

Tom spun around and glanced in their direction. "Admiral Janeway?"

"No, the little one. The kid Janeway."

Tom's mouth hit the deck in complete disbelief. The irony that mother and daughter both excelled at pool was almost unbelievable since they didn't even know each other until just a few years ago. "Admiral Janeway had knocked you off the leaderboard, Paris, when she was doing an extended stay here. She spent a lot of time in here and managed to dethrone you. She held the lead for a good while but once the little one showed up, that record was gone pretty quickly. The Admiral is good, but the second Janeway is pretty spectacular. I think you should make them do a head-to-head match and we have people place bets on it."

Tom patted him on the arm. "I sometimes like how you think, Quark."

"Watch them though, they'll both fool you and play ignorant as to how the game is played."

"Well, why don't we just shoot some pool to start with and then later on, you can announce that the two grand champions are both present and you encourage them to a duel with the winner receiving some grand prize from you in return. I think we could round up some wagers on that match. Whatcha say, Quark?"

He paused for a moment and rubbed his ears and then stuck out his hand to Tom. "You got a deal, Paris!"

For the next hour or so, the crew of  _Voyager_  played 'friendly' games of pool. Tom carefully watched the two Janeway women and he could tell that both seemed to be holding back. Tom knew that Kate had likely heard about her mother's pool skills but he secretly doubted that Admiral Janeway knew of her own daughter breaking her prior winning record. Tom and Chakotay battled back and forth in a friendly match, which saw Chakotay win. Due to his win, he had to face a head-to-head challenge versus the Admiral. Kate took a seat on a barstool between B'Elanna and Galina as they watched this unfold.

"If she's smart," B'Elanna started in a low voice, "She'll use her femme fatale skills to distract Chakotay and that'll get her the ultimate win."

Kate and Galina snickered in response and Tom was aghast at B'Elanna's comment. "That's cheating," he whispered, which started a slight banter back and forth between the two of them.

They all watched as Chakotay willingly allowed Kathryn to break to open the game. They all could tell she hadn't played in a while or else she was slightly off kilter having to play one-on-one versus Chakotay because as she broke, none of the balls hit the pockets, which was something they all knew was not atypical for her.

"Did she do that on purpose?" Kim whispered. "I mean remember when she waltzed in to the holodeck that one evening and played dumb as if she didn't know what pool was and when she break practically all the balls hit varying pockets?"

Tom raised his eyebrows in response. "Good question. She could be playing Chakotay."

Chakotay had a direct line for a shot to at least nail one or two balls in to a corner pocket. Just as he was about to take his shot. Kathryn leaned down and whispered something in his ear, which caused him to miss the shot all together.

"Sorry, Captain," she drawled, "That was a poor shot." The wicked smirk that spread across her face let them all know how competitive this game was to her. She didn't like to lose, and it was obvious that she'd use any form of deception to win.

"That's not fair, Kath, Admiral," he protested while catching himself from calling her by her first name.

Eventually, the game that seemed to take forever and eternity to finish because they both kept toying and playing with each other, finally ended with the Admiral scoring the prize win. As the game concluded, Quark made his way over towards the pool table, which had amassed a crowd of onlookers from  _Voyager_  and varying crewmembers onboard Deep Space Nine and a few other vessels.

"Ladies and Gentleman! May I please have your attention!" he paused as everyone closed in and quieted down. "As many of you have been watching the wonderful crew of  _Voyager_  engage in friendly battles in the game of pool, I think we should raise the stakes a little. As most of you know, here at Quark's, we have an ongoing list of those who have won the most pool matches and the top three placed individuals are present with us here. I believe that we should have a competition between the top two to determine the ultimate winner. Lieutenant Tom Paris was our number one contender, but he got knocked off the leaderboard by Admiral Kathryn Janeway. Admiral Janeway held the number one spot for quite a long time before she was dethroned."

As he paused a collective gasp went around the room. Kathryn's eyebrows furrowed because for all she knew, she still had the coveted number one position. Chakotay nudged her and she glared at him. He could tell the fury that went through her at the realization that someone had beaten her at her own game. The expression upon her face did not go unnoticed by anyone around her.

"I know, I know, everyone settle down. Admiral Janeway did hold that position for a very lengthy time. But, and somewhat ironically, the new and reigning number one contender for the ultimate championship also comes from  _Voyager_. Commander Kate Janeway is currently atop our leaderboard here at Quark's in the highly esteemed first place. And I only think it appropriate that the two Janeway women should have a head-to-head match to see who can come out on top and be the overall champion."

As he spoke, Kathryn turned quickly on her heels to find that her daughter was staring her down possessing a large smirk upon her face. Kathryn waltzed over to where Kate sat on her barstool, and crowded her space. With Kate seated, Kathryn was practically eye-level with her own daughter. She attempted to give her the most intimidating stare-down possible, which only sparked Quark's excitement all the more. The two of them didn't even realize that buckets were being passed and wagers were being placed on who might win this ultimate victory. It was going to be the best out of three per Quark's instructions, but they were relatively unheard by the competitors because they were still engaged in their silent stand-off.

Kate knew her mother's competitive nature rivaled that of her own. Neither of them knew defeat, and neither of them accepted defeat at all. Kate slowly stood up and hovered over her mother never breaking eye-contact and never uttering a sound. She extended her hand to her as if to accept the challenge and Kathryn shook it in return. Words were never exchanged as both Janeway women made their way towards Quark to accept their cue sticks and await his further instructions.

Michael had slipped in the side door and rushed to take Kate's stool in order to witness this, as he knew how talented his Katy was at pool. Chakotay realized that this was about to be a game for the ages as he could only anticipate what was about to occur. Tom, B'Elanna, Harry, Galina and all the rest of  _Voyager_  were wide-eyed in anticipation with no one speculating on who the other made their wager on. B'Elanna looked over at Chakotay and nodded for him to come take a seat beside of her and Michael.

"Whatcha think about this, Chakotay?" she whispered to him.

"I'm afraid a war is going to break out. Believe me, B'Elanna, as much as Kathryn refuses to lose, Kate is even fiercer when it comes to that. This is not going to be easy for either of them, but in some ways, it is going to be highly exciting for us to watch."

Tom leaned across and whispered, "Do you think they're ever going to talk to each other?"

Michael interrupted, "Not likely, but we better pray that the Admiral doesn't start talking by trying to get under Katy's skin because if she does, it is going to be on."

Tom eyed Chakotay and couldn't help but notice the look of excitement and apprehension that was hidden in his eyes. He knew Chakotay had placed a bet and he secretly wondered just who he put his money on.

Quark was poised and ready, "Admiral, Commander, I'm going to flip the coin. Heads or tails. The winner gets to decide if she wants to break or let the opponent break. We will play the best of three. The winner will be compensated. Admiral, since you are the ranking member in Starfleet, I'll let you call the coin flip."

As Quark flipped the coin high in the sky, Kathryn locked eyes again with Kate and called out, "Tails."

Once the coin landed on the floor, Quark bent down and shouted, "It is heads! Commander, the decision is yours."

Kate pondered for a brief moment the decision before her. To let her mother break could prove risky as if she performed one of her typical breaks, Kate may not even get the opportunity to shoot. But, to allow herself to go first would risk putting herself in jeopardy should the Admiral decide to throw any sort of jabs at her. She took a little longer than normal to make her decision, never allowing her eyes to stray from that of her mother's that nearly matched each other in color and in ferocity of stare. Chakotay was watching them intently and he suddenly notice a flicker that went through Kate's eyes and the smirk that crept upon her face before she responded, "I choose to let the Admiral break."

A slight smug look came across Kathryn's face and Chakotay breathed deep as he knew she was donning her 'ready for battle' look and he knew she was one beyond tough woman. He prayed that Kate wasn't about to get skinned alive, but ultimately, he knew that with all Kate had faced in her life, her strength might rival that of her mother's, if not surpass it.

Kathryn strode with pride up to the table and placed the cue ball in the spot where she wanted. Kate elected to remain silent and not make any sort of commentary so that her mother couldn't use that against her. Michael watched intently as to how Kate would approach this and he leaned over and whispered to Chakotay, B'Elanna, Tom, Harry and Galina.

"Her nickname onboard Deep Space Nine was the Silent Assassin because she refused to heckle her opponent. This should be interesting to see how she responds to playing against her own flesh and blood though."

The stakes were high. Yet while Kathryn would never admit to it, she was slightly nervous as she lined up her shot. Popping her neck from side to side, as if she were a boxer entering the ring, she fired off her first shot. Gasps went up from around the table as the break was eerily similar to the one she had performed many years ago onboard  _Voyager_  when half the balls sailed into the pockets. This time, her initial break sent three balls into varying pockets causing her to exclaim boldly, "Solids."

Chakotay glanced over at Kate and noticed her expression had not changed at all. She remained focused. He couldn't even read whether she was impressed or not by her mother's skills. Kathryn circled the table to line up her next shot. When Kathryn circled, so did Kate. She moved to stand directly across from Kathryn on the opposite side of the table. She never said a word and kept her eyes focused directly on the cue ball. Whether it was the sheer silence and intimidation of the way she was standing and staring, it had its desired affect as Kathryn's shot missed the solid ball and knocked in one of Kate's stripes instead. Kate smirked. She had shaken the powerful Admiral, and ooh's and ahh's escaped the mouths of the onlookers. Chakotay could tell Kathryn was pissed, yet she couldn't say a word to Kate as she hadn't said a word to cause Kathryn to err. She'd remained silent the entire time. But he pondered what Kathryn would do to intervene with Kate's shot.

Kate studied the table with intensity determining which shot she wanted to take. Finally after launching a shot that any regular person would have thought as an error, the ball careened across the table hitting several balls and caused three stripes to skid across the table into varying pockets. Kate had now taken a single shot lead.

"Four to three," Quark shouted, "Little Janeway leads."

Kate merely shook her head at how he had referred to somewhat relieved by the fact that he didn't call her by her known nickname onboard Deep Space Nine. As Kate circled the table to line up her next shot, Kathryn leaned up against the table close by where Kate was approaching. She didn't budge, though she knew she would eventually have to move. She was challenging Kate to say something to her, but as a shock to them all, Kate stood directly beside of the Admiral, the two of them practically touching each other. Kate extended her cue stick around her mother, almost as if she were going to embrace her. Then she reached around behind her mother to grasp her cue stick with her other hand.

Tom was wide-eyed in anticipation because there was no way feasible she could make a shot with the Admiral standing practically in the middle of her arms. But, wasting no time and not allowing the Admiral to move from her spot, Kate shot the ball and knocked two more stripes in to the pockets. As she stepped back, she heard a muffled "damn" escape her mother's mouth and Kate couldn't help but let a large grin spread across her face. Kathryn knew there was no way in hell she could have made a shot like that, let alone even attempt one.

"Six to three" Quark reported to the audience who were still applauding such an unbelievable shot. "Little Janeway uses her size, I mean height, to her advantage."

Kate had one remaining stripe to get down before tackling the infamous eight ball and she would win round one, but the way she had left the cue ball for her next shot was all but impossible to make. She knew in any other situation she would likely be able to manipulate it, but she had all ideas the Admiral would try something. She lined up a fake shot, knowing she would not hit hers but intended to leave the Admiral with an equally challenging shot for her remaining pool balls.

After missing her shot, Kate stepped away from the table relinquishing her rights to the Admiral to pick up her game, which deep down she knew that she had left the door wide open. In the brief second she had, she glanced over towards Michael and Chakotay, catching both of them eyeing her in return. They couldn't read her reaction but a slight nod of her head gave Michael the signal that he knew she knew it wasn't over and if they needed to instigate help, he needed to rely on Chakotay to distract the Admiral as he was likely the only one capable of doing so.

The shot that Kate had thought would be complicated for the Admiral quickly proved wrong as within a matter of seconds, the Admiral had pocked two of her solid balls bringing the score to six to five. Before Kate could even blink, her mother had tied the game at six, and a nervous rustle echoed throughout Quark's Bar.  _Could it be possible that the Admiral would come from behind and dethrone the reigning champion?_  It was currently the question that plagued everyone's mind.

Kathryn stepped up to the table for her final shot and glanced over at Kate whose expression was so spot on serious that it slightly sent shivers down her own spine. She had never seen her daughter look so intense and focused. She showed no sign of fear or nerves, and Kathryn was impressed. She bent down eye level with the table in the hopes of nailing her shot in the far corner, but the only problem was that Chakotay sat right near where she was aiming. Whether he made a slight movement on purpose or it was just coincidental, Kathryn didn't know but it was enough to cause her to miss her shot.

Sighs of relief escaped many of the patrons, likely the ones who had placed their bets on Kate. Kate eyed her mother suspiciously wondering if she had missed the shot intentionally but when she saw her mother glare towards Chakotay, she knew she did not miss on purpose, and likely blamed him. She couldn't help but smirk at the sheer coincidence or else Michael had yet again intervened on her behalf.

"Remains a tie game, six to six. The Commander, Little Janeway is up to shoot," Quark stated boldly.

Kate assessed her shot on the table. If she was able to perform one of her mastery trick skills, she could pocket her remaining striped ball, have the cue ball slightly ricochet off the table and launch the eight ball in to the final pocket for the win. It would be tricky to avoid hitting Kathryn's remaining solid ball, but as long as Kate remained exclusively focused and tuned out who she was competing against, she should be able to accomplish it. She paced the table several times to throw off her mother, which was something Kate excelled at – predetermining the shot to make but continuing to pace looking at every option to throw off the competitor from knowing which angle she would ultimately decide upon. Finally, Kate leaned against the table and fired off her shot. Everyone held their breath as her final striped ball dropped in and then they watched as the cue ball performed the precise ricochet and nailed the black eight ball. It crept ever so slowly across the table and teetered on the edge of the pocket before finally dropping in to the pocket.

Thunderous applause erupted in Quark's bar. Chakotay couldn't help but smile, but as he watched Kathryn's reaction, he knew she was ticked off because she hated to lose more than anything. Kate approached her and stuck out her hand, which thankfully, Kathryn did shake in congratulations.

"Game One to our reigning champion, Commander Kate Janeway better known as the Silent Assassin," Quark proclaimed. "Game Two to begin shortly. Get your wagers in now."

At the mere mention of the name Silent Assassin, Kathryn spun on her heels and stared directly at her daughter and raised both eyebrows as if questioning her. But Kate just smirked at her and refused to utter a response. Kate knew that her mother was fuming because as much as she personally hated to lose, she knew that her mother hated losing more than anything and she knew that the second game was going to be a bloodbath. Kate secretly wondered if she'd be able to remain the Silent Assassin in the upcoming matches because if her mother pushed her too far, she would likely explode, which was something that both Michael and Chakotay feared.

Taking an opportunity, Chakotay stood and walked towards where Kathryn was standing and offered her some of his drink, which she downed quickly. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "I know you're pissed because I know you hate to lose, but promise me that the two of you won't ruin what you've worked so hard to patch up. You're her mother, and I know you'll hit me for saying it, but it is just a game, Kathryn, it's not worth risking losing your relationship over."

She pulled back from him slightly and stared into his eyes. "I know what you're saying, Chakotay, but damn, she is good, and you know I don't like being beat at my own game."

He smirked, "I don't think it is your game, at least not anymore. Even if you beat her the next two games and win this little tournament, you still won't get your first place standing back. Just relax some and have fun."

He finally saw the smile break loose on her face and the tension somewhat release. "How the hell did she nail that one shot when she encompassed me?"

He laughed, "That, I will never know, but should you have moved, I think she might would have killed you."

She snickered, "Believe me, I thought about moving or nudging her, but I feared her piercing me with that cue stick as if it were a spear or something. Sometimes I'll jibe with my opponents, but she's downright eerie to play against. She was not this serious earlier when she was playing you guys."

"She's good, Kathryn, very good at hiding her skills just like you are. This could be the fight of the century."

Kathryn eyed him up and down, "And just who did you put your money on, Chakotay?"

He paused. "Uh gotta run, Kathryn, I forgot to make my second round bet," he stated before dashing away from her, which secretly made her suspect that he might have betted against her, which caused a fire to swell deep within her belly.

Kathryn paused for a moment and stared in Kate's direction, who was still standing on the opposite side of the table. Apparently, she had been talking to Michael but he seemed to have dumped her at the same time Chakotay had dumped her. She turned and caught her mother staring back at her. Kathryn slowly circled the table and walked to within inches of where Kate stood.

"No matter what happens, I promise you that I'm not going to hold this against you, okay? We've worked too hard to let a silly game interfere with our relationship. You know I hate losing, and I suspect you do, too, and while I do anticipate some more intense moments, at the end of the day, we're always still mother and daughter, okay?"

Kate stood there staring deep in to her mother's eyes as if she were reading her soul determining if this was some sort of ruse to throw her off her game, but she saw the genuineness within her mother's eyes and soul. She knew she could be deceptive, but she also likely realized that Chakotay had calmed her down much as Michael had her. Kate didn't say anything in return, she just simply nodded her head in reply.

"Are you ever going to say anything?" Kathryn asked while breaking out into a semi-smile and trying not to laugh at her daughter's sheer stubbornness.

Kate had opened her mouth to break her silence but Quark's interruption to announce the start of the second match stopped her. Kathryn simply patted her on the arm and stepped to the opposite side of Quark.

"All wagers have been entered and recorded for game two. After game one, which saw Commander Janeway defeat her mother, Admiral Janeway, we have several individuals tied in their score predictions and wagers including Captain Chakotay, Doctor Killarney, Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres and Ensign Galina Amaez from the  _Voyager_  crew, just to name a few of those tied for first place. All of that is subject to change after game two."

Kate couldn't help but glance at her mother and notice that her jawline suddenly clinched tighter. She caught her give a death glare to Chakotay and knew in that instance that he had placed his round one bet on his daughter instead of herself. Internally, Kate speculated that likely sent shockwaves throughout her mother's soul. Turning to gaze at Kate, she caught the fire within her mother's steely eyes and knew that this round was likely going to be controlled by her mother. Kate dug deep, but based on that look, she knew that it wasn't going to likely end well. She shook her head trying to get her mother's intensity out of her brain as it was distracting her immensely.

"Commander Janeway, since you allowed the Admiral to break last game, you must break this game. If you win this game, there will be no third round, but should you lose this round, then we will have another coin flip to determine who breaks the final match. Understood?" he asked looking from one Janeway to the next. When they both nodded in agreement, Quark handed the cue ball to Commander Janeway. "Best of luck to the both of you!" he added before taking a step back from the action.

Kate's nerves had gotten rattled by her mother, which she felt was part of the game plan so she did something somewhat unaccustomed for herself, she paced around the entire pool table as if casting some sort of spell over it. She had to walk out her nerves, and she refused to even look at her mother. She placed her cue ball on the table and fired off a quick shot. Amazingly, three stripes went flying in to varying corners, which caused her to utter her first word during the matches, "Stripes," for the second game in a row. She lined up another shot and in a shocking twist of event, she misfired and did not nail her striped ball in to the designated pocket. It was a rare miss and everyone in attendance began to speculate whether she had done that on purpose or had the pressure of playing against her mother finally rattled her.

"Three to zero," Quark bellowed from the sideline. "Admiral Janeway to rally?"

Kate was mad, and Michael could immediately tell she was not only mad but she was rattled, which rarely happened to her. He and Chakotay had seen Kathryn talking to her prior to the start of the second match, and she seemed perfectly fine during and after that conversation. But after Quark had announced the leaderboard from the betting pool from whence the Admiral had realized that Chakotay had placed his bet on Kate and not her, Michael suspected that Kate saw the reaction and then the look that Kathryn aimed at Kate must have knocked her off her game. He tried to get Kate's attention but she refused to look. She was intently focused on the game and studied each and every single move that her mother made while circling the table as if she were a tiger circling its prey. She was fierce, Kate had to give her that.

Eventually Kathryn settled herself in for the kill shot on her prey, and in a shocking twist of fate, thanks to one of her own trick shots, she nailed four solid balls into her pockets soaring her to the lead amidst a round of applause from the audience. Kate wouldn't lie, and she actually nodded her head in admiration at the perfect shot that her mother had nailed. She anticipated that she was about to walk the table and clean house. Kate was just thankful that her break had actually nailed in three of her balls, so her mother wouldn't blitz her at zero.

"Four to three, big, uhh, I mean Senior Janeway has taken the lead," Quark proclaimed and nearly caught a glare from Kathryn when he referred to her as 'big'.

As she rounded the table, Kate decided she wasn't moving, she had stopped practically across the table in front of Chakotay and she shot Michael the "I'm about to get my tail fried" expression, which he relayed to Chakotay who looked back at Kate. She simply shrugged her shoulders as if to say,  _I know what I got myself in to_. Kathryn came and stood beside of Kate as if challenging her to actually open her mouth and say something. Kate refused to budge because she knew her mother couldn't reciprocate the move she did to her in the first match where she had encircled her mother in her own arms. Eventually, Kathryn moved to the opposite side of the table and lined up her shot draining two balls.

"Six to three, the Warrior's Princess extends her lead."

At the sheer mention of her nickname, heads shot up all around the bar. Kate about practically fell over in complete astonishment, as she had always wondered who the Warrior's Princess truly was, but the irony of it being her mother and not realizing where that name had come from completely floored Kate.

Chakotay nearly fell off his stool when Quark referred to Kathryn by that nickname, and Kathryn, who was examining her next shot, froze in place in sheer shock, as she had forgotten that was what she had chosen as her former nickname from ages ago.

Chakotay coughed and nearly choked on his drink, which caused both Kathryn and Kate to look up simultaneously at him. Tom and B'Elanna gasped at how eerie those two were in their mannerisms and seeing them respond simultaneously in the same way was almost too much. Kathryn turned around to glance at Kate who had a wide smirk on her face and her eyebrows arched high. Kate now knew all too well where that nickname derived from. It had created such a stir and caught Kathryn so off-guard that she miscalculated her next shot and ended up inadvertently knocking one of Kate's stripes into the pocket instead.

"Ah, error on the Warrior's Princess' part and now it is six to four, Little Janeway's shot."

Kate stepped up to the table and hastily took a shot so as not to give her mother a chance to rant or rave or cause any sort of disruption. Kate's shot was spot-on perfect as she nailed two additional stripes in to the pockets.

"Six to six, we're tied up again, folks!" Quark stated while practically dancing through the bar.

She knew her next shot was going to be a tricky one because if she hit it one way, she would cause her mother's remaining solid ball to fall, which she ultimately did not want to occur as that would give her the game winning shot. She circled the table twice trying to anticipate a clean shot. The Admiral stood with her arms crossed watching every single step that Kate made, and then she stepped up against the side of the table. She was testing, maybe challenging Kate, to see if she could mimic the same move she did during the first round. Kate realized what she was doing and didn't back down from the challenge, but instead, she went directly across the table from where the Admiral stood and bent down to take her shot. Right before making the shot, she took her eyes off the ball and held direct eye contact with the Admiral as she shot towards her striped ball. A collective gasp went up from the crowd as her striped ball fell into the corner pocket and Kate wasn't even watching it.

"Seven to six, Little Janeway will win it outright by sinking the black eight ball."

Kate studied the table and knew it was utterly impossible to sink the black ball without hitting her mother's in, which would cost her the game. While she suspected all along that she would not win this game, she was not about to win it for her mother. She briefly glanced over at Michael with the 'I know it's over now' look and just kind of smirked. She was mentally ready for the third set, when she would kick it up another level. She took her shot and missed hit the black ball and caused it to spin but did not move it, which was her intention.

"Ahhh, remains seven to six, Admiral Janeway takes over and could potentially seal the win."

Kathryn didn't waste any time in stalking the table. While Kate had left her with a relatively tricky shot, she knew she had it in her to sink it and win it outright. With one quick flick of the wrist, she called her shot and just like that, she knocked her remaining solid ball and the eight ball in to separate pockets in sequential order sealing the win. Applause erupted within the bar, as that meant everyone could then witness the ultimate tiebreaker game to seal the win.

Quark was giddy with joy. "The Warrior's Princess comes from behind to claim the win and tie the series. Everyone get your bets and wagers in for the last round, I'll update the standings momentarily."

Kathryn walked over and put her arm around Kate's shoulder. "Good game, sweetheart," she commented and looked Kate square in the eye. When she stared within her daughter's eyes, she saw something she had never seen before – she saw fire. She knew Kate wasn't mad at her, but what possessed her was something that Kathryn had never witnessed before. Kate still refused to utter a word. Even though she was dying to know about the Warrior's Princess nickname, she would hold that until later as she had to stay focused. She simply nodded her head and exchanged a handshake with her mother before she walked away. Kathryn watched her and noticed the prowess that was in her daughter's pace, it reminded her of her own but it reminded her of Chakotay. Deep down, Kathryn feared that the final round was going to be beyond bloodshed. It was going to be the most intense game that she would likely ever play in her life because she could tell her daughter had just momentarily transported herself to another dimension, and she was beginning to see why she might just be called the Silent Assassin.

After a few minutes, Quark settled the crowd back down and announced the leaderboard. Chakotay and Michael still remained perched atop with several others. This solidified to Kathryn that Chakotay had placed his first round wager on Kate and his second round wager on her. That settled the fire back down knowing that he at least wagered on her finally and wasn't putting all his money in their daughter's basket. But deep down, she wondered who he would side with in the final round.

As Quark gathered the two of them to the center of the room, she couldn't help but notice the look on Kate's face. She glanced at Michael, and he had a smirk on his face and Kathryn secretly wondered what she was about to walk in to.

Quark proclaimed, "Ladies and Gentleman, this has by far been one of the most fun and intense matches of pool that Quark's prestigious bar has seen in quite some time. This is the third and final round of the Janeway duel. The winner takes all. Commander Janeway, since Admiral Janeway called the coin flip last time, you will be allowed to make the selection this time."

As he flipped the coin high in the air, Kate simply said "Tails."

Quark bent down to pick it up and raised it high in the air shouting, "Tails, it is! Commander, the decision is yours. Do you want to break or do you want to defer to the Admiral?"

From prior years of watching her destroy her opponents onboard Deep Space Nine, if she took her typical route, Michael knew what she was about to do. Kate stayed silent for a moment and in typical fashion, she took her cue stick and twirled it like a baton before letting it rest in her right hand. Turning to face Quark, she raised her left hand as if she were about to point towards the Admiral but quickly flipped it back at herself. "I'll break," she stated so flatly that one wondered if she was even physically within her body.

Michael knew it was on now. The last time he witnessed her like this, she swept the table and didn't let her opponent even have one single shot. Whether she could run the table like that today, he didn't know due to the pressure of who she was playing against, but if she allowed herself to ponder on her past, she wouldn't care. She'd be ready for a bloodbath, and he made sure he put his entire bet solely on her sweeping the table.

As Kate stepped up to the table, she had to channel more strength and totally allow herself to forget who she was playing and get into an environment where she was fueled by something. In that second, she remembered Chakotay telling her briefly about one of her mother's flings while onboard  _Voyager._  She had seen how badly it had hurt him, and while he hadn't always remained faithful either, particularly with his frolic with Seven of Nine, whether it was staged or not, he had hurt her mother, too. But the pain and anger she had seen in Chakotay's eyes, ignited her. She was going to win this for him, and of course, she couldn't forget about the  _Excalibur_. It would always be a part of her life what her mother had done to her, and this was her opportunity to shove it back in her mother's face proving how wrong she had been. Typically, Kate wasn't vindictive, but when it came to winning her game, she would become that, although silent, if it was necessary.

Carefully, she placed the cue ball slightly off-center, which caused some eyebrows to raise amongst the audience. Chakotay prayed to his Spirits that Kathryn would not make any sort of snide comments because he feared Kate might hit her up beside the head with the cue stick. He, B'Elanna and all the crew had never seen the intensity that was coming out of Kate's eyes and body language. She was beyond confident, and it was almost scary. As she lined up her shot, a smirk crept across her face and Michael smirked back in return, although she likely didn't see it. He knew it was 'game on' and the Admiral was about to get her due.

As she finished her shot, she didn't stand. She practically knelt even with the table staring the cue ball in to oblivion almost as if she had the power within her vision to cause the cue ball to break the collective. When the cue ball made impact with the other balls, it was so loud, it sounded as if half the balls had nearly cracked on impact. Kathryn practically flinched because she had never heard such a loud shattering of pool balls. The balls practically scattered all around the table, and Kate counted as five striped balls nailed varying pockets and no solids went anywhere.

Standing up right and fully erect, Kate cocked her head sideways and said firmly, "Stripes."

For the third straight game, she ended up with the striped balls, but an impressive five to zilch lead was borderline insane. And if Kate's ears hadn't betrayed her, she could have sworn she could have heard her mother utter a very strong curse word, and judging by Chakotay's reaction, her ears likely hadn't betrayed her.

"Impressive!" Quark beamed, "The Silent Assassin's opening shot takes her to a blistering five to nothing lead over the Warrior's Princess."

The look on Kathryn's face was priceless. She'd been backed in a corner on many occasions, but this time, it was almost as if she'd been back in a corner and stomped on, and the beating was coming from, of all people, her own child. As Kate rounded the table to line her up next shot, she did something highly out of character for her. She stopped directly in front of the Admiral and stared down into her eyes.

Kathryn couldn't help but gasp because she saw fire mixed with a sparkle, and it was in that moment, that she realized she was seeing a look that she had only seen one other time in her life. And that had come from Chakotay when they had gotten into an argument years ago over Kashyk and the relationship he was trying to form with her. Kate had no idea about how jealous and upset her father had been over Kashyk, let alone she likely didn't even know anything about Kashyk. But seeing that look wash over her face, it sent chills down Kathryn's spine because it was almost as if Chakotay has possessed Kate and was giving her the horrific glare he had given her when she had fallen for Kashyk.

Kate spun quickly on her heels, didn't even look at the pool table and fired off a shot knocking the last two striped balls in to the pockets.

"Seven to zero, the," Quark didn't even get to finish as Kate had already fired off her cue ball. As soon as she made her shot, she placed the pool stick down on the table, not even waiting for the eight ball to drop. She knew she had the game won the second she nailed a near perfect break. The eight ball dropped into the far corner pocket and Kate stood solemnly at the head of the pool table with no expression at all on her face.

"Game over, match over. Commander Kate Janeway, better known here onboard Deep Space Nine as The Silent Assassin maintains her outright lead at Quark's Bar. Congratulations, Commander!" Quark beamed as applause erupted all around the bar.

In a shocking twist, Kate abruptly left the bar and headed out into the corridor. Kathryn, who wondered what had just happened, was about to turn in pursuit, but Michael stopped her.

"Let me go," he stated and motioned for Kathryn to remain inside the bar with the other patrons.

Michael found Kate bent over just outside the doorway trying to catch her breath. He put his hand on her back, as he had done on many other occasions and rubbed slow circles trying to get her to calm down. She always allowed the final game of any match to get her so worked up that it often caused her to forget how to breathe, and she had to force herself to calm down. She eventually stood up and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thank you," she barely whispered.

He pulled her back and pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ears. "This was the toughest one yet, huh?" She simply nodded as physical and mental exhaustion practically ripped throughout her body.

"What in the world were you thinking of before the start of that last match? I've never seen you so fierce looking in my entire life. And then you boldly staring her down in the middle of the match that was daring even for you."

Kate shook her head. "I don't know what got inside of me. It was like everything that ever happened to me, her and Chakotay hit me at one time. Part of me thought back to something he had told me that had happened on  _Voyager_  all those years ago that fired me up, part of me thought about how he had hurt her with Seven of Nine, and then ultimately, I thought about the  _Excalibur_. In some ways, as mean as it sounds, maybe my slaughtering her, I almost felt would be retribution on some level for her sending me over there with that demon. I don't know, I just had so much built up in me. I owe her an apology."

Michael chuckled, "No, you don't owe her an apology. I think you just showed her that you are queen of the pool table. I know you're beyond tense, and we just know not to let the two of you play pool against each other ever again. Whatever you were thinking of when you stopped and stared her down near the end, it rattled her to the core because she nearly paled in color."

Kate simply nodded her head, as she really didn't have an answer for that because whatever Kathryn may have seen in Kate's eyes, was likely nothing that Kate was even thinking because she wasn't even feeling as if her spirit was inside her body during that brief encounter. She decided to venture off on a differing path rather than continue to discuss what was going on inside her mind and body.

"Did Chakotay bet on me in the first round?"

"Yes, he did, and I think Kathryn figured that out because she was pissed when they said he was leading in the wager board. But he bet on her in the second round. He won't say who he wagered on in the final round."

They could hear Quark chanting from the background and they finally re-entered the bar. Quark came rushing over towards Kate and presented her with a small trophy.

"Congratulations, Commander, we had this made for you."

She nodded her head and shook his hand in appreciation and smiled for a photograph that Quark wanted to display in his bar. She briefly glanced over towards Chakotay and Kathryn and she could see that they both had large smiles on their faces, as well.

"Now, for what everyone else has been waiting on. The winner of the big wager," Quark stated while rubbing his hands together. "Captain Chakotay jumped out to an impressive lead after the second round, but obviously, he hadn't seen the Silent Assassin play before because he didn't place his bets quite well in the third round. So, the winner of the wager pool, with a come from behind win, is Doctor Michael Killarney."

Kate couldn't help but laugh because she had heard Tom protest from the sideline.

"That's not fair, he's her fiancé. He cheated!"

Michael went over and clapped Tom on the shoulder. "Lucky guess, mate. I've seen her play many times. Believe me, she can be lethal, so I kind of had an idea of what to suspect but after the second round, I was a little nervous that I may have blown it."

Kathryn and Chakotay watched as Kate made her way over towards Galina and shared a few words with her. They were glad that their daughter had made a close friendship, as they felt the both of them were close in age and likely would have a lasting friendship. But secretly, they were a little worried about their daughter.

"Chakotay," Kathryn stated, "I'm worried about her. I mean what made her rush out of the bar after the match?"

Chakotay smiled. "I think she's fine. I think she got so intense and so focused on the battle that she forgot to breathe and she had to get out to break the tension."

"Maybe," Kathryn barely stated in such a concerned voice that Chakotay wondered if she was okay.

"Hey," he said reaching down and taking her by the hand pulling her attention back to him. "During the last match, you gasped when she stopped and stared at you, and it rattled you. What happened? I know she didn't say anything, but did she do something?"

Kathryn turned to look away from him and shook her head. Finally gathering the nerve, she glanced back up at him. "She didn't say or do anything, but it was what I saw in her eyes. It wasn't her. It was you, Chakotay. It was the exact same look of fire, rage and even passion that I saw in your eyes during our heated battle at Counterpoint over…"

He shook his head. "Don't even say his name, Kathryn."

"Chakotay," she started but he put his finger over her lips.

"Just don't. Okay? Who knows what was going through her head, but don't dare mention his name, Kathryn. You know how much I detested him. The point that matters is that she's fine, you're fine. Neither of you killed each other, though I swear there were a few times where I was a little worried."

Kathryn was about to say something else when Kate walked up and joined them.

"Mom," she stated, which was the first word Kathryn had heard her utter in well over an hour or so. "I owe you an apology."

Kathryn stepped back and cocked her head sideways. "For what?" she questioned.

"The way I treated you during the game. I was a bit too intense."

Kathryn laughed and placed her hand on the side of her daughter's face. "You never said a word, so you don't have anything that you need to apologize for. You showed me who is the boss, and you know I despise losing more than anything, but you have nothing to apologize for. You showed me some tricks that I didn't even know existed. To be honest, you impressed me, sweetheart. I'm the one who should be apologizing because you remained resolute and quiet, while I was the one who tried to get cocky and show you an attitude. But, that didn't work out too well for me because you crucified me in the last round. I'm proud of you, believe me. And for what it's worth, I worked my tail off breaking Tom's record, so when Quark said I wasn't number one any longer, I was shocked. Then to hear him say you had dethroned me, I was beyond stunned. Now, let's just agree that the best Janeway won this little tournament or whatever it's being called. No hard feelings, I promise."

Kate reached over and hugged her mother. "I love you, Mom, then, now and always."

Eventually, the gathering concluded and most everyone retreated to their respective quarters for the evening to retire. Chakotay and Kate ended up having a brief meeting with the senior staff of  _Voyager_  to determine that since they had arrived one day early to Deep Space Nine, they would prolong their stay one additional day to let the Deep Space Nine crews continue to look over the damage and repair from  _Voyager's_ prior incident. No one wanting to address the ultimate elephant in the room which was as soon as  _Voyager_  departed Deep Space Nine, it would be the last time the vessel would ever see the space station as its final route was to head home towards Earth.

A day later when the  _Voyager_  crew all boarded their ship, Michael had to remain behind rather than head back to Earth with them. He promised Kate he would not be late for the wedding and would catch a ride home in the next week or so. As the ship began to undock with the space station, it was greeted by a somber experience as various repair crews and other vessels had aligned themselves to provide  _Voyager_  with its final farewell send-off from the crew and other vessels docked at Deep Space Nine. The senior crew, including Admiral Janeway, had all gathered onboard the bridge of  _Voyager_  to watch such a humbling and emotional moment.

"Mr. Paris," Chakotay stated as his voice slightly cracked. "Lay in a course, for home."

"Aye, Captain," Paris replied while he set the course.

Chakotay turned to Kathryn and nodded his head. "Engage, Mr. Paris," she stated firmly.

Paris smiled from his seat, "Yes, ma'am."

They all stood on the bridge staring solemnly out the view screen with varying emotions encompassing the room. Some crewmembers were in tears. Some seemed stunned. ome were awestruck. It was a complete range of emotions. Kate caught Chakotay's eye and in that moment, she realized what he was about to do, and she couldn't help but smile in relief that Neelix and the Doctor had both come equipped with their cameras to capture such a monumental moment.


	19. Chapter 19

"Ladies and Gentleman, before we leave to return to our workstations and quarters, I have a few final words that I'd like to say," Chakotay began gathering everyone's attention ship-wide as he had activated the ship-wide communication system. "It has been my pleasure to serve aboard this esteemed vessel for all these years not only as the Captain but as the First Officer. We've seen a lot, accomplished a lot, endured a lot, but ultimately, everything has made us stronger because I view us all as one big family. I've made memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. As we all know, this is  _Voyager's_  final farewell. Once we get home, I don't know what will happen to all of this crew, but I want to thank each of you for your service and your dedication over the years. It is my intention to retire from active service and likely work somewhere at Starfleet Academy for a few years. I hope that some of you will remain active with Starfleet and request a commission onboard the new  _Voyager_. I don't know who will be in command of that ship, but I trust that whomever will be the captain that you will respect that individual just as you have myself and Captain Janeway before me."

He paused and turned to look towards where the Admiral stood staring proudly in return at him. He crossed the bridge and stood in front of her.

"Speaking of Captain Janeway, who is now Admiral Janeway, it has been our pleasure to have her back onboard with us these past few months. It is because of her that  _Voyager_  has gotten as far as it has. Admiral, on behalf of all the crews of  _Voyager_ , past and present, thank you for your service and dedication to all of us over the years. But, before I close my statement as we anticipate our arrival home, I have one final thing that needs to be addressed."

Chakotay dropped to one knee in front of the Admiral and looked up into her crystal blue eyes. A collective of gasps emanated from the bridge crew before he spoke.

"Kathryn, you have been my enemy, then my Captain, my confidante, my Admiral, my best friend but more importantly, my soulmate. The first time I saw you through that view screen, a piece of me fell in love with you. I've been in love with you for many, many years, and we both have used various excuses to keep us apart for all these years. Not only am I ready to retire from  _Voyager,_ but I'm ready to spend the rest of my life with you. I want nothing more than to wake up on Earth or anywhere else in the universe with you by my side. The Angry Warrior vowed many years ago to always put your needs first and protect you at all costs. I have always done that and will continue to do that. But I want to be more than just the Angry Warrior, I want to be your husband. Admiral Kathryn Janeway, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife and marrying me?"

Tears were pouring, not only down Kathryn's cheeks, but down Kate's, B'Elanna's and they may, as well, have been pouring down all the men's cheeks on the bridge. Kate could only imagine the rest of the crew's reaction. Neelix and the Doctor both were beaming and snapping photos left and right. Kate looked over at her mother, who she had never seen quite so taken aback, shocked, stunned, emotional and extremely beautiful. The range of emotions cascading across her mother's face were symbolic of her inner-self and how Chakotay could always bring out the best in her. Chakotay slipped the ring out of his pocket and showed it to Kathryn, whose eyes lit up and sparkled just as much as the diamond did. She opened her mouth to speak, but she couldn't because she kept choking back tears. Finally, clearing her throat, that utterly infamous voice spoke and was heard across the entire ship.

"Yes, Chakotay, my love, of course, I will marry you and be your wife."

He slipped the ring on her finger, gave her a quick kiss and as she wrapped her arms around his neck burrowing into him in a big hug. He lifted her off the ground and spun around in circles amidst the center of the bridge. Ship-wide, and in particular on the bridge, catcalls, hollers, and all forms of excitement broke out. Once Kathryn and Chakotay separated, the senior bridge officers had all gathered to congratulate them. Kathryn, with a large smirk on her face, turned towards Kate and engulfed her in an enormous hug.

"Congratulations, Mom," Kate muffled against her mother's hair. "I'm so, so happy for the two of you."

Kathryn pulled back from her daughter's embrace and held her face in the palms of both of her hands.

"This is a magical day for all of us, honey," she stated before turning to greet the remaining bridge officers.

The course of the next few days was very hectic.  _Voyager_  arrived back at Earth with much fanfare. Mr. Paris performed the final set-down of the prestigious vessel. Much of  _Voyager_  would be torn apart and pieces would be recycled and reused while some portions of the ship would go in to the Starfleet Academy and various space and flight museums around the Federation. It was a very emotional day when  _Voyager_ touched down on soil for the last time. Kathryn, Chakotay and Kate waited at the door to greet each crew member as they exited the ship.

Once everyone had exited, the three of them did a final walk through of the mighty ship, before Kate slipped out to let her parents be the final two to depart the ship, even though disassembly crews had already boarded and begun taking things apart. Chakotay and Kate had to meet with various members of Starfleet Command for debriefings and while they did that, Kathryn had returned to her office to settle back into her Admiral role, but she had one special request to make for the new  _Voyager_.

Over the next few days, the crew of  _Voyager_  was given several weeks to months of shore leave to re-acclimate their lives to Earth. They visited friends and family scattered across the planet. Starfleet Command worked on the updated roster of who would be assigned where, as the crew had begun to put in their formal requests. Kathryn and Chakotay had approached Kate regarding joining them in visiting Kathryn's Mother in Indiana for the weekend, but before Kate was able to leave, she was called into a last minute meeting with the committee of Admirals for another round of questions regarding her capabilities of becoming Captain of a Starfleet vessel. Finally, upon completion, she met up with her parents and they walked to the nearest transporter station to teleport to Indiana, a place where Kate had never been.

Upon arriving in Indiana, Kate was surprised at the drastic difference between where her mother grew up and where she had grown up. While Kate grew up in the secluded mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee, her mother had grown up in the flat lands and farm country within Indiana. Yet, even with the sharp contrast, Kate liked the scenery. After a short walk, they arrived at a relatively large farm house and Kate gasped at the older yet well-preserved homestead. As they turned to walk down the long driveway, Kate stared in awe at the size of the property, the massive gardens, and large trees, but she also couldn't help but notice as an older lady was sweeping the porch on the large home.

"This is so beautiful," she barely stated while trailing slightly behind her parents.

They all watched in slow-motion as Gretchen Janeway stopped her sweeping and stared down the long driveway. It appeared she called for someone as another woman appeared on the porch, and Kate assumed that must be Phoebe. Chakotay and Kathryn held hands as they strolled down the drive, with Kate slowly striding a few steps behind them taking in all the sights. Gretchen descended the stairs and proceeded toward them at a quicker pace.

"Kathryn?" she shouted while trotting down the driveway with arms spread wide for an embrace. As she neared the two of them, Kate had slowed down considerably to observe from afar. When she realized Kathryn was not alone, Gretchen beamed with pride before adding, "Chakotay, oh, it's so nice to see you, actually so nice to see the both of you together, finally!"

Kathryn embraced her mother before Gretchen released her and enveloped Chakotay. Kathryn couldn't help but slightly roll her eyes at the realization that her mother was giving Chakotay a longer embrace than she gave her own daughter. Clearing her throat to regain her mother's attention, Kathryn raised her left hand higher and her mother gasped, "You didn't?" she asked aiming her question at Chakotay.

"Well, Mrs. Janeway, we aren't married yet, but at least I finally got the ring on her finger and she said yes."

Gretchen practically jumped in excitement. Phoebe had made her way down and greeted her sister somewhat hesitantly before embracing her in a warm and loving embrace. She did the same with Chakotay and finally extended her congratulations along with an "It's about damn time, Kathryn."

Kate could tell that there seemed to be some slight tension between the two sisters but it eventually seemed to have dissipated. After the official welcoming, Kate could tell that Gretchen was peering over Kathryn and Chakotay's shoulders in her direction.

"And just who do we have here, Kath…" she paused as she stepped up to stare at Kate. "Oh my! What a beautiful young woman," she exclaimed and spun to look at Kathryn, who didn't respond. Phoebe watched the scene unfold with great curiosity and Kate quickly looked to Chakotay, who simply nodded as if he was saying 'it's okay'.

Not one for being too shy, Kate stuck out her hand to Gretchen and said, "Hi, I'm Kate."

Gretchen smiled and seemed to study her. Chakotay watched as Phoebe's eyebrow arched when she said her name was Kate. "Well, it's wonderful to have you here, Kate. My name is Gretchen Janeway, I'm Kathryn's mother, and this is my other daughter, Phoebe."

Kate smiled politely. "It's very nice to meet the both of you, as I've heard a lot about the both of you."

Phoebe stepped up closer to Kate and shook her hand, but Kate knew Phoebe was filled with questions and she attempted to prepare herself for what was about to come. To Kate, Phoebe looked similar to Kathryn, but there were obvious differences between them, as well. Years of likely hard work in the sun and gardening made Phoebe look older than Kathryn, but she had those piercing eyes and they were currently boring in to Kate's soul.

"What's your full name?" Phoebe quizzed.

Gretchen put her hands on her hips. "Phoebe, what does that matter? Kate is our guest just as Chakotay is."

"Yes, but Chakotay is engaged to Kathryn; he's in essence family. It's kind of unusual for Kathryn to bring additional guests home, especially ones that have a remarkable resemblance to her so much."

Gretchen had noticed the similarities, as well, but she had pushed them to the side. "Phoebe, so what if she looks similar to Kathryn. What's the old saying that somewhere in the world everyone has a twin or someone that looks like them? Maybe it's coincidental."

Phoebe turned her head sideways, "Coincidental? Coincidental for Kathryn? I think not, Mother. Kathryn, you're awfully quiet. Care to tell us about your friend, your guest?"

Kathryn stepped up beside of Phoebe and crowded her space, all but putting herself in between her sister and her daughter.

"You know, Phoebe, some things never change like your attitude for one. You never were very hospitable. You always wanted to stay here and never get out and explore. Maybe you should have opened yourself to a whole new realm of life. And because I know you won't let the subject die and you'll keep pressing Kate, I'm going to settle this right now. It was my intention to tell you later, but let's just go ahead and get this out in the open. For what it's worth, her full name is Kathryn Shakonohey Janeway. She is my daughter. Actually, she is mine and Chakotay's daughter. I gave her up for adoption, but bless be to someone above, she returned to me as a student at Starfleet Academy where we reunited. We've had a rollercoaster of a relationship, but fortunately have patched things up. Yes, I should have told you both sooner, but I was ashamed and embarrassed and didn't know what to do, not to mention I had no idea where she even was. You can be mad at me all you want, but don't you dare take it out on my daughter. You need to treat her with the respect and the courtesy she deserves, and the same for Chakotay. Beat me up all you want, but don't dare hurt the two of them. Is that understood, Phoebe?"

Everyone stood still and had looks of shock etched upon their faces. Whether it was from Kathryn's fierce and demanding tone of her ordering Phoebe to back off or whether it was from the sheer shock of realizing that Kathryn and Chakotay had a child that neither Gretchen nor Phoebe had been clued in upon, it cast an eerie quietness amongst them. Gretchen stepped out and practically pushed Kathryn and Phoebe aside and away from Kate. She stepped in front of Kate and examined her more closely and smiled a smile that reminded Kate so much of her mother's. She wrapped her arms around her and squeezed her with all her might.

"I finally have a grandchild. A beautiful granddaughter at that. I am so, so thrilled."

Kate's eyes had widened but she instinctively returned the embrace. Chakotay couldn't help but smile at the tenderness with which Gretchen had embraced his daughter, but he also could tell that all hell was about to break loose between Kathryn and Phoebe.

Before any of them could respond, Gretchen took Kate by the hand and whisked her away inside the house. Initially, Chakotay was going to remain with Kathryn, but when she cast a death glare in his direction, he ultimately decided it would likely serve him well to let the two sisters have at it. Just before his departure for the house, he caught Kathryn's eye and nodded towards the porch and she acknowledged he was stepping away. Once he was out of earshot, Kathryn, who was fuming internally, let loose.

"Phoebe! What gives you the right to be so hateful to my daughter? Should I have kept this a secret from you and Mom all these years? Likely not, but Chakotay just found out himself, too. I didn't know what to say, let alone believe. I couldn't handle it, Phoebe. Giving my child up was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, and there were many, many days where I tried to go back to get her, but I just couldn't. I wanted her to have the best life she possibly could and I knew I couldn't do that alone."

Phoebe was shaking her head in disbelief. Gretchen had slipped back out the door and was standing within earshot and had heard what Kathryn had told her sister.

"You could have told me and Mom, especially Mom! We could have raised her for you, Kathryn. God knows how Mom always wanted to be a grandmother…" Phoebe abruptly stopped when Kathryn practically shouted back at her.

"Do you NOT think I don't know that, Phoebe? I know Mom wanted to be a grandmother just as much as I always wanted to be a mother. But it wasn't that simple."

"Why not, Kathryn? You made a mistake and were too proud to admit it. So rather than coming and asking your family, you try to keep it a secret and take care of it yourself, just like you always have done, Kathryn. It's always been about you and you don't even think about what we might have to say, let alone your child?"

By this point, Kathryn was beyond fuming. "It wasn't your decision to make, Phoebe. Nor was it Mom's either. A lot of things played in to the situation, things that I can't even begin to tell you about. But, I had to make the decision on my own. I had no one who would understand what was going on in my head, and I was damned sure I wasn't going to abort my child either. So, I had to choose the best alternative."

Phoebe paused for a moment and shook her head and slightly rolled her eyes before she finally dropped the bombshell that she had been containing this entire time.

"Why is it always about you? Why would you ruin an innocent child's life to satisfy your becoming an Admiral? And you never told Chakotay either? That man has always worshipped you, Kathryn, because he told me so himself. Had you not kept your head so far up Starfleet's ass all these years, you and he could have had a wonderful and happy life. You're just like, Dad. He put Starfleet above Mom and us, and you're following exactly in his footsteps. If Kate and Chakotay knew what was best for them, they'd leave before you forget who they really are and hurt them like you always hurt everyone else around you."

That statement hit her deep, and Phoebe knew it. Kathryn had had enough and the rage that she had contained for so many years exploded. Her first instinct was to slap Phoebe across the face, which she did with an extreme furor. But before, Kathryn could even control herself, she had additionally thrown Phoebe across the yard causing her to tumble on the ground where the two of them were about to initiate and all-out brawl, until a pair of strong arms pulled Kathryn off of Phoebe.

Upon glancing up, Kathryn saw that Chakotay was restraining Phoebe, who had some blood coming out of her nose, but she was still fussing that she wanted a piece of her sister. Kathryn would have sworn it had been Chakotay who had pulled her off of Phoebe, but when she briefly cut her eyes back over her right shoulder, she realized it was Kate who had separated them.

Once Kate had gotten Kathryn somewhat settled, she stepped in front of her and motioned for Chakotay to let go of Phoebe. Kate placed a hand on each of their shoulders and glanced back and forth between the two of them giving them an equally strong Janeway glare in return before she finally spoke.

"Would the two of you please act like the grown individuals you are supposed to be?"

Phoebe and Kathryn exchanged glances as Kate had slipped in to her Commander role.

"Phoebe, what you had to say about Starfleet may be valid on some levels, but it's not 100% accurate. Both my parents are in Starfleet, and I also am currently a Commander in Starfleet, yet we maintain a very close relationship. So what if Mom gave me up for adoption? She made the choice. It was  _HER_  choice to make. Not yours, not your mother's, only hers. She HAD to do what was best for me NOT what was best for her. And she made that decision on her own.

"Had she just thrown me away, like you so apparently think she did, she wouldn't have contemplated all the times trying to come back to retrieve me. She wouldn't have suffered through the dark depression states she so often found herself in. You nor I fully know what she went through, and if she desires to share that with you, then she will. But the point is, she and I are together now. If ANYONE has the right to be the angriest at her, it would be Chakotay. I've forgiven her, and I know he has too. Yes, I know it hurts you and Mrs. Janeway. Believe me, I know the pain more so than you probably can imagine. But I'm here, I'm just Kate and I'm not going to impede on you and your mother or anything else.

"I'm getting married in a few days, and I came here to meet you all and invite you to the wedding. But should you not want to come, nor want to be a part of my life, then that is perfectly fine with me. But I will NOT let you stand here and berate my mother on a decision that was hers and hers alone to make. Nor will I stand here and let the two of you duke it out in the front yard like some wild and crazed lunatics. Now, I'm going inside to drink some of Mrs. Janeway's glorious lemonade, and if the two of you can't get along, then I'm going back to California."

Kate turned on her heels and went back into the house. Gretchen was snickering from behind Kathryn's shoulder and Chakotay couldn't help but break out into a smile because he had an idea of what Gretchen was thinking.

"Problem, Mother?" Kathryn inquired.

"No doubt about who her mother is. She can be utterly intense just like you and as sweet and charming just like her father. She's an equal blend, Kathryn, and a perfect blend at that. I believe I'll go inside with her and spend some time bonding with her. Chakotay, you want to join us or do you need to stand guard with the two lunatics?"

Phoebe and Kathryn rolled their eyes.

"We don't need a chaperone," Phoebe retorted.

"All evidence to the contrary," Chakotay replied. "Kathryn, let's go for a walk and let your Mom and Phoebe spend some time with Kate," he stated while motioning for Kathryn to join him on a stroll around the impressive farmland.

Chakotay knew exactly where to take her as she had told him about one of her favorite secret escapes when she was at home. She was surprised when he began leading her in that direction, and even he was captured by the beauty of the sight before him.

"You remembered," she stated breathlessly.

He wrapped his arm around her and motioned for her to sit down, which she did and he sat behind her pulling her back against his chest. For a few moments, they stared straight ahead at the sparkling water that was slowly ripping across the pond in front of them. Chakotay could sense Kathryn finally relax and she eventually lay her head back against his left shoulder as he tightened his grip around her body.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that with her," he whispered to her. He felt her take a deep breath and let it out slowly. He knew she was thinking about what to say. "Don't even say anything. Just sit here and enjoy the peaceful aura that is here."

They sat like that for close to an hour. Never uttering a solitary word. Kathryn suspected that Phoebe, Gretchen and Kate were observing from the window or back deck or patio of the farm house, but she didn't care. She was in one of her most peaceful environments and was in the protective arms of the man who captured her heart, body and soul. She'd never felt more at ease and more in love.

"Thank you, Chakotay," Kathryn spoke so softly he barely heard her, but he did.

He smiled down at her, although she was still looking straight ahead. "For what?"

She slightly turned her head to glance back at him. "For everything. You're always here, always by my side. You knew where to bring me. Usually I don't let anyone come here with me, but I'm glad I did. Because I've never felt like this in my entire life. This is life, Chakotay. You, me and this peace that I feel. You complete me, and I can't imagine why I didn't allow myself to realize this sooner. Maybe Phoebe," but he silenced her with a finger over her lips.

"No, I know what you're about to say and shake it from your head. She wasn't right, and don't let the negative come into this aura. Relish the peace, the tranquility, the beauty, the love – it is here, Kathryn, it surrounds us."

She lay her head back against his chest as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. "I love you, Chakotay," she whispered.

He planted a kiss on the top of her head. "And, I love you more than you'll ever know, Kathryn."

After a few more hours of just resting in each other's presence and swapping a few memories here and there, the duo eventually made their way back to the house with the both of them secretly wondering what they might encounter when they arrived. To their surprise, they only found Gretchen in the kitchen preparing dinner.

"Mom, where's Phoebe and Kate?" Kathryn asked hesitantly.

Gretchen smiled and placed down a utensil she was currently using while hovering over the stove. "Well, my dear, the three of us had a nice discussion, and come to find out the two of them both love to run. So, they went on a run while I cooked dinner."

Kathryn's mouth dropped slightly agape and she turned to look at Chakotay, who equally looked astonished. Gretchen noticed them both and laughed.

"You two were afraid that there would be another world war or something? Well, it was tense at first, but Kate is a determined yet highly passionate individual. She and Phoebe had a nice heart-to-heart and now it seems Phoebe has done a complete 180. Kathryn, you had a tough decision to face, and while I would have been right by your side, it is okay. I'm not holding it against you. We are all together now and that's what's most important. Right, Chakotay?"

Chakotay nodded his head and smiled in agreement with Gretchen, whom he secretly adored.

"You know, Kathryn. I think I'm more upset with you over not hooking up with Chakotay sooner than I am with you not telling me about Kate. He adores and worships you. You even allowed him to enter you private space down by the lake. You have plenty of time left, but don't let a good thing get away from you again, because any woman would be lucky to have a man dote on her like he does on you."

Chakotay was slightly embarrassed by Gretchen's remarks and he held his head down a little. He secretly prayed that she didn't share some of his and her discussions from all those years ago with Kathryn. To his surprise, Kathryn wrapped her arms around him in a side embrace and planted a kiss on his cheek.

"I promise, Mom, he's not getting away from me this time."

The remainder of the evening progressed at a relatively relaxed pace with Kate and Phoebe apparently bonding more than Kathryn and even Chakotay had assumed possible. While Gretchen implored them all to remain overnight, they all needed to return to San Francisco to prepare for the wedding and endure a few more briefings, in particular Kate who had received an urgent message to appear before Admiral Jameson and a few fellow admirals the next morning for another interview for the Captain's chair onboard the new  _Voyager_. Gretchen and Phoebe shared fond farewells with each individual and promised to make the trek to San Francisco in a few days for Kate's wedding before the trio made their way back to the nearest transporter terminal and beamed back to San Francisco.

Over the course of the next few days, things were bustling in California. Kate met with the Admirals once again for a second question/answer session concerning her leadership capabilities to lead a brand new starship amongst many other things. Kathryn did her best to stay out of the process, but she met privately with Admiral Jameson to inquire, in particular, regarding Captain Calhoun's consideration for this position, as well. Chakotay had seen Calhoun walking around the halls of Starfleet Command and had assumed he had been called back in for another interview, as well, which nearly caused Kathryn to go off the deep-end when he had told her. While they all desperately wanted to know the outcome, as even some of the current  _Voyager_  crewmembers were basing their final decisions of whether they wanted to request a transfer or remain on  _Voyager_ , everyone had to be patient as Kate and Michael's wedding day was now one day out, and the focus was exclusively put on that.

On the eve of Kate's wedding, B'Elanna, Tom and a few other crewmembers from  _Voyager_ decided to take Kate and Michael out for a miniature celebration. Kathryn and Chakotay went for a brief period of time but they soon returned to Kathryn's Admiral's suite which overlooked the Golden Gate Bridge and provided a splendid view of the bay and city. She was standing and staring out the window when Chakotay slipped in quietly and wrapped his arms around her.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispered into the back of her hair just above her neck.

Shivers went down her spine as Chakotay always knew just how to make her relax and his words breathed against her neck always pushed her over the limit.

"Our daughter," she whispered and paused as she let the word 'our' roll around in her mind. Sometimes it was still so hard to believe that they had a child together and Chakotay had forgiven her and accepted the choice she had made rather than lashing out at her and pushing her away.

He tightened the grip of his arms against her chest and waist.

"Now, that's a good subject to be thinking of. But, I can tell something's the matter. Is it the pre-wedding jitters?"

Kathryn slowly turned in his arms, never breaking contact but turning so she could face him. She shook her head no.

"No, that's not it at all. I know she and Michael will make a perfect couple, although I have no idea how their marriage will last with both of them likely being completely separated with their work assignments. I guess I'm just anxious about hearing the decision for whether Kate will get the helm of  _Voyager_  or not, you know? I mean when they come back from their honeymoon, what's next for her? I wish they had given her an answer beforehand so she doesn't have to fret over it."

Chakotay broke out into a big smile and kind of snickered, which caused Kathryn's brows to furrow.

"What's so funny?"

He smiled again. "Nothing. I just like seeing you maternal. You develop an entirely new level of your protective shield, and it makes me all the more proud. You've always been protective over your crew, but when it comes to Kate, it escalates."

She smiled faintly at him, and he could tell she was worried.

"Kathryn, you know what, I can imagine the last thing on Kate's mind right now is the whole situation with  _Voyager_. It may be on everyone else's mind, but in reality, you know what, if Kate doesn't get  _Voyager_ , I'm sure she will be disappointed. But I think she'll be fine no matter where she is. She's just like her mother, and she will grab the bull by the horns and be successful at anything that comes her way."

She placed one of her hands on his chest and smiled back at him. "You're right. The one thing I hate about being maternal is it makes me do something I never do – worry. I have never been a worrier, and you know that, but when it comes to Kate, my God, Chakotay, I can't stop worrying over her. I swear, Chakotay, if Calhoun gets that job…"

"Stop!" he stated firmly but not harshly and placed a finger over her lips. "Tonight and tomorrow, we will not mention his name at all. You've cast your vote and done all you can do with who gets command. That's out of our hands now, and the last thing she wants is her mother interfering in the process. She wants to be her own individual, God knows she's made that very clear to the both of us. So, let the pieces fall into place and no matter what, we'll always protect her as much as she will allow us."

Kathryn wrapped her arms around his waist and stood on her tiptoes to place a kiss on his lips. "I love you, Chakotay. I never want to stop telling you that."

He returned her kiss with one of his own. "And you, my sweet Kathryn, I love more than anything in the entire solar system."

As they were about to share a much deeper and passionate kiss, the chime to her suite rang. She eyed him with suspicion as they weren't expecting any company that evening. She knew her mother and sister were coming, but they were waiting until the next morning to transport in. She broke free from his embrace and walked towards the door, with Chakotay following closely on her heels.

"Come in," she stated somewhat hesitantly.

When the doors slid open, Kathryn and Chakotay's eyes widened because there in the hall was a large conglomeration of individuals – Tom, B'Elanna, Harry, Galina, The Doctor, Neelix, Michael and most notably, Kate who was being held high up in the sky by Michael and Tom. They all piled in the door to Kathryn's suite and she glanced at Chakotay with a look that questioned whether they were all drunk and went to the wrong apartment.

Chakotay cleared his throat to quiet the incessant chatter down. "Would someone care to tell us just what exactly is going on?"

B'Elanna held up a bottle of champagne and stated, "Well, you two did leave the party early, and because you left early, you missed the big announcement."

Kathryn's eyes widened so big that Chakotay thought they might fall out of her head. She glanced astonishingly towards Kate half-expecting her to tell her that she was expecting a baby. Kate stepped an inch or two closer to her mother, whose mouth she noticed was agape.

"Kathryn, would you care to tell me what is going on?" the Admiral questioned referring to her daughter by her birth name, which she only did in serious situations.

Chakotay glanced his daughter up and down, and that's when he saw what they were all celebrating, and it was not the wedding nor what he assumed Kathryn thought her daughter was going to announce. Yet, somewhat surprisingly, Kathryn, who was usually the much more observant one, hadn't spotted the change, and he stepped closer and extended his hand.

"Congratulations, sweetheart," he stated while shaking her hand and then bending down to give her a kiss on the cheek before embracing her in a hug.

Kathryn's head swirled to the side so quickly, B'Elanna and Tom froze because they thought it might roll off her neck and shoulders. They were stunned that the Admiral, of all people, hadn't figured out what was going on. Tom coughed and rubbed his neck in an indication for the Admiral to look at Kate's neck. When Kathryn glanced back at Kate, she looked down at her neck and that's where she saw not one, not two nor three pips, but four pips, which only indicated one thing – her daughter was now a Captain.

After breaking from her father's embrace, Kate studied her mother intently and heard the barely audible gasp at Kathryn's realization of what she had missed. In a maternal moment, that the Admiral so rarely let escape in the presence of others with tears streaming down her own face, Kathryn pulled Kate into a tight embrace and kissed her cheeks before pulling her back from her and cupping her daughter's face in the palms of both of her hands.

"I am beyond proud of you. You are my daughter, you are my angel, and I love you more than you can ever imagine."

Chakotay's heart strings pulled at Kathryn's vulnerability and sweet words. He knew how much torment Kathryn had endured over having to give their daughter up for adoption. And while he had every right to be upset at Kathryn for never telling him, seeing the sight before him, he knew he could never hate her nor have any ill-feelings towards her. The rest of the  _Voyager_  crew were all stunned silent at watching their former Captain and friend display such a humble reaction. Kate's eyes had watered, but she had managed to keep the tears from pouring down her face and instead broke out into one of the widest smiles that made everyone smile in return.

In that moment, a look of concern crept across Kathryn's face.

"Mom, what is it?" Kate asked with hesitation.

Almost as if she was unsure how to ask the question, she hesitated before just blurting it out.

"Please tell me that it's the Captain's chair of the new  _Voyager_ , right?"

They all couldn't help but chuckle, and Kate half smiled because she understood why her mother would be questioning this.

"Yes, Mom. Admiral Jameson surprised us this evening at our pre-wedding party. He said he wanted to give me the big news before I got married and went on my honeymoon. He went ahead and awarded me my pip, but said there would be an official ceremony at a later date."

Kathryn beamed with pride, and it was one moment where Kate honestly felt that her mother was beyond proud of her. It was her mom, Kathryn, looking at her and celebrating with her. It wasn't the Admiral, whom Kate had often feared as much as revered. Everyone else noticed it, as well. Then she couldn't help but see the smirk that crept upon her mother's face and she knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Mom, it's not nice to think like that about Captain Calhoun," Kate let her statement hang out there while everyone else was in shock at how she had practically read her mother's mind.

Kathryn winked at her daughter before turning to B'Elanna and adding, "Well, B'Elanna, I think it's time we break open that champagne. We have a Captain's wedding to celebrate."

The celebration lasted for a couple of hours before everyone parted ways and returned to their own residences as the big day loomed on the horizon. Kate and Michael lingered behind with Kathryn and Chakotay after everyone else had left. Chakotay could sense that Kate and Michael had something else on their minds, but he noticed that Kathryn seemed practically oblivious to it. Maybe it was the champagne, he didn't know, but Kathryn was much more relaxed and not her typical self.

As they were all seated around the smaller sized coffee table situated in Kathryn's living room, which overlooked the gorgeous San Francisco Bay, Michael spoke up.

"Kathryn, Chakotay," he stated dropping their ranks, which was something he didn't often do. "Kate and I have been doing a lot of thinking lately, and we have a suggestion for how we think tomorrow can be a little more magical for everyone involved."

Chakotay nodded his head for them to continue, but his sideways glance at Kathryn proved that she wasn't sure what to expect as her eyes had widened again. He took her hand in his own and squeezed it and immediately noticed how she relaxed. Michael, too, noticed the hesitation on the Admiral's face, which was something he was most definitely not accustomed to from someone so stoic and refined. But he continued.

"Well, tomorrow naturally Kate and I will be tying the knot, and while we are beyond excited, we also know our future will face challenges because of Kate's new assignment and us likely spending most of our time apart. We knew that from the get-go and are prepared to handle whatever comes our way. However, we've been thinking that with so many people in town, thanks to  _Voyager's_ safe return to Earth, there will be so many friends and family already at the wedding for us. So, we thought you two could share in this special day in a different way.

"Naturally, you'll both be part of the wedding as Kate's family, but since the two of you are engaged now, why not go ahead and get married after we do? Share in the celebration with us. Kathryn, your Mom and sister will be here; Chakotay, your sister and family will be here, so why postpone what everyone has been waiting for the two of you to finally do for years? It won't overshadow our day whatsoever, in some ways it'll make it all the more meaningful. So, what do you think?"

Kathryn turned to look at Chakotay and deep down she knew that he would jump at the opportunity that Michael had just presented to them. But, she also knew that should she say no, Chakotay would also agree with her, as he would do anything in the world to make her happy. Staring into his dark, almost black, eyes, she was instantly hit with all of the built emotions from all of their years in the Delta Quadrant. She was brought back to New Earth where she vividly recalled Chakotay building them a house and of course building her a bathtub because she, while never asking for it, had wanted one. He always put her needs first – then, now and forever, she knew he would. It was time she respect him as much as he respected her. He wanted to get married more than anything, and while she was nervous, though she never would admit it, she knew he felt her nervousness as he squeezed her hand a little more.

As he was about to speak, Kathryn interrupted. "You know, Kate, I told you not long ago that this was your special day, and I didn't want anything to interfere with that day,"

"But," Kate and Michael both interjected at the same time, which elicited a smile from Kathryn in return as she held up her hand to stop them both.

Kathryn glanced back at Chakotay, who was studying her with such intensity, that she was drawn even closer to him. Without even asking, she knew she already had her answer from him.

"Kate, Michael, your suggestion is quite humbling, and had you asked me a few days ago or even while we were on Deep Space Nine, my answer would have been no. However, you're not the only one who has been doing some thinking. I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, some that I am definitely not proud of. But one of my greatest mistakes was made a long, long time ago on a place that we called New Earth. I allowed the Captain to take control of my life, when I should not have. I had a man who loved and adored me more than the ground that he walked on. He moved mountains for me, and even made and did things for me, not because I ever asked but because he wanted to. He's always sacrificed himself and his own happiness to ensure that I was safe, protected and loved.

"However, I was stupid, stubborn and allowed Starfleet to cloud my own better judgment. I was blinded by parameters and protocol, when deep down within me, my inner being was screaming at me to open my eyes and realize what I had standing before me. I've made Chakotay sacrifice so much for so long, and that's not been fair to him. I've also held a relatively large secret from him for quite a long time, and that's something I don't know I can ever forgive myself for. But with him, he's already forgiven me because he has a heart that's bigger than anyone's I've ever met. It's high time that I do something for him and put myself aside. Rather than him making me happy, it's high time I turn the tables and do something that makes him happy. So, after our glorious daughter marries her handsome Irish man tomorrow, we'll take a short pause and then surprise those loved ones gathered, as yes, I'll marry Chakotay tomorrow."

Kate practically bounded like a two year old from her seat and went airborne across the coffee table and into the arms of both of her parents. Kissing them both on their cheeks, she finally pulled herself off of them and stood beside of Michael.

"We are so excited to share this day with the two of you," was all that Kate could mutter as the emotions that she'd kept suppressed for so many years welled to the surface. Michael knew better than anyone how much pain Kate carried deep within her, although she never allowed anyone to see her scars and know her fears. He knew this moment was one that would help her heal, but one day he'd have a man-to-man talk with Chakotay and relay some of his own concerns for his soon-to-be wife. He wanted to ensure that Kate would always be taken care of should something happen to him.

In somewhat of a surprise, Chakotay actually suggested that Kate should stay the night with Kathryn, while he and Michael bunk together. None of them wanted any bad luck on their wedding day, even though Chakotay knew he would ultimately see Kathryn early the next morning as he would come to her house to escort her and Kate to the ceremony.

Later that evening Kate was so wired she could hardly sleep. So much had transpired in one day – she'd become a Captain, she was getting married the next day and her parents were also getting married. She was practically in a dream world. As she lay in her bedroom, which was one of the guest rooms in her mother's luxury size apartment,  _a perk of being an Admiral_  she thought to herself, she felt as if someone were watching her. When she glanced up, she saw that her mother had poked her head in the door and was walking towards her bed, where she sat down on the edge while staring at her daughter. In that moment, a sensation came across Kate that she had never felt before. Her nerves slightly got the best of her and she shivered slightly.

"Honey, are you okay?" Kathryn asked in her utterly famous tone, one that always could calm Kate in a moment's notice.

Kate nodded as she continued to stare at her mother, but reached out to take her hand. "Yeah, I'm fine, Mom, but part of me suddenly feels like I have knots in my stomach, which has never happened to me in my entire life."

Kathryn, while she never admitted it often, knew all too well what her daughter was feeling. Kathryn stood up and crawled into the bed and lay down beside of Kate.

"Come here, sweetheart," she stated while pulling her daughter in to her arms. "You know, you've got too much Janeway in you," Kathryn stated and looked down to find a pair of identical blue eyes staring back up at her with a furrowed brow.

"What do you mean?" Kate asked sincerely.

"We're stubborn in that we don't ever want to admit when we have nervous feelings or even feelings of fear. Believe me, I know that all too well. Honey, I rarely ever admit to anyone when I might be nervous, let alone fearful. I think Starfleet engrains it in us, especially as Captains that we are supposed to be rough and tough and not let anything bother us. While that is good in some regards, it also can be harmful. Had I listened to my heart and allowed Chakotay to take care of me all those years ago in the way that he wanted, I think I would have been a much different person and even a different Captain. It's natural to feel apprehensive, especially on the eve of your wedding or any other big situation."

Kate interrupted her, "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

She couldn't see her mother's face but she could feel her body and hear her heart slightly speed up in its beat.

"Yes, I am," Kathryn finally admitted it, which for her was something that was a tough task.

Kate entwined her fingers with that of her mother's. "Mom, you don't need to be nervous. Chakotay loves you more than anything on this planet or in any other galaxy, quadrant and beyond. All you have to do is look in his eyes, take his hand and let him lead you. For once, drop your chain of command and allow him to lead you in this endeavor. He'll never let you go. I say that not as Kate your daughter, but as Kate, an outsider who has observed the two of you intensely over the past few months. The love that the two of you have suppressed all these years is powerful. Your connection is so, so deep that nothing and no one can severe that bond. Let him take care of you tomorrow and every day from this day forward as you've never allowed anyone to care for you. Okay?"

Kathryn kissed her daughter's forehead. "Yes, ma'am," she added with a faint chuckle while brushing a strand of hair out of Kate's face. "You're wiser beyond your years, honey. Always know that you've got me and your Dad in your corner as your biggest cheerleaders. And if you weren't nervous at Quark's Bar battling me in that pool match, then you have nothing to be afraid of. I love you, honey, and I'm so happy I can be your Mom."

Kate nuzzled herself a little deeper into Kathryn's embrace before replying, "Go to sleep, Mom, we've got to get our beauty sleep for tomorrow," they both chuckled lightly and let the silence fall across the room. Kate waited for a few moments listening to the sounds of her mother's breathing and absorbing everything about this moment, a moment she had dreamed of since her childhood.

"Mom?" she questioned softly.

"Yeah," Kathryn replied in somewhat of a sleepy tone.

"I love you, too."

Kathryn smiled against Kate's face and Kate knew her timing had been accurate and heartfelt, and knowing that helped her ease herself into a very peaceful slumber.


	20. Chapter 20

The next morning, Chakotay violated the protocol of not seeing the bride on her wedding day when Galina and Deanna called him in a panic because they couldn't get anyone to answer the door at the Admiral's apartment, where they were supposed to meet up with Kate to help her get ready for the ceremony. He met up with a very patient Ensign Amaez, and a very impatient Commander Deanna Troi-Riker, who had returned to Earth for this ceremony, outside of the Admiral's door.

"I'm so sorry to have bothered you, Captain, but I assumed you would be able to access the Admiral's apartment. I mean not insinuating that…" Chakotay cut Ensign Amaez off with a wave of his hand.

"It's alright, Galina. I understand what you mean and I take no offense. You'll see why later. But yes, I do have access to her apartment. Kate stayed over with her last night, so they may still be getting their beauty sleep," he added with a smile towards the ensign.

"Yes, sir," she stated while watching him access the residence.

"And how is the lovely Mrs. Troi-Riker this morning?" Chakotay quizzed while working the code on Kathryn's apartment.

Deanna smiled in return before replying, "Oh, I'm just lovely, Chakotay. It's going to be a marvelous day. Will is somewhat relieved that you'll be escorting Kate down the aisle, as he was getting nervous at the thought."

Chakotay smiled and turned to face her briefly. "Thank you, to the both of you actually. You've meant a great deal to Kate, and I know you've helped her immensely. Just having the both of you here, and you being in her wedding means the world to her."

Chakotay entered the apartment first followed by the other two. He ventured down the hallway peeking in Kathryn's master suite but soon realized she wasn't there. Galina and Deanna stayed put in the living room area, as they didn't want to intrude. When Chakotay poked his head inside the guest room, his heart practically stopped beating, as he witnessed a sight that caused his heart to turn flips. The love of his life, his soon-to-be wife, holding their beautiful daughter in her arms as both of them lay fast asleep like angels. Ever so gently, he tiptoed over to the side of the bed where Kathryn lay, although Kate was practically splayed across the entire mass of the bed, nearly squashing Kathryn beneath her. He knelt down and placed a feather-like kiss on Kathryn's cheek, which caused her to stir slightly because Kate's dead weight suppressed her some.

Kathryn's eyes fluttered open and when she saw Chakotay towering over them, she beamed.

"Ensign Amaez called in a panic when she and Deanna couldn't get the two of you to answer the door. Didn't really suspect the two of you to sleep in this late on such a big day."

Kathryn's eyes bolted even wider open and she was about to shoot straight up from the bed when she realized Kate was still asleep on top of her.

"My God, Chakotay! We have to wake her up or she's going to be late for her own wedding," she said in a fluster, which Chakotay couldn't help but chuckle at.

Kathryn poked Kate's side and she made a noise and something that remotely sounded like "Go away!" Kathryn rolled her eyes at Chakotay, who in turned tried to wake her to no avail.

"Stubborn just like her mother," he added and received a slight slap from Kathryn in return.

"Captain Kathryn Janeway!" the Admiral barked in such a fierce tone that not only did Kate bolt straight out of the bed, but Chakotay even stood to attention. Once Kathryn had gotten her daughter awake and out of the bed, she stood and smoothed her own hair turning to Chakotay and said "Well, that's more like it. Now I need my coffee, and you, young lady, better hit the shower because Ensign Amaez and Commander Troi-Riker are here in a panic or so I've heard."

"Holy…" and Kate stopped and flew out into the living area to grab Galina and Deanna and drag them back into the guest room. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize I had overslept."

As Kathryn sauntered out into the kitchen with Chakotay hot on her heels, she turned to him and smirked, "Aren't you supposed to be getting ready, as well?"

He couldn't help but smile. "Naturally, yes, but my dress uniform is here anyways."

"Ugh!" Kathryn retorted. "While I like the dress uniforms, I don't at the same time."

Chakotay smirked, "Prefer me to wear something different, Admiral?"

"I would prefer you to wear nothing," Kathryn stated before she had realized what she said and stopped herself. "Well, I mean, I,"

"Cat got your tongue, sweetheart?" Chakotay chided and placed a tender kiss on her lips. "Today, you will become Mrs. Chakotay and I can't wait."

"Well, I think Mr. Janeway sounds even better," she joked and returned his kiss. "But nonetheless, I'll have the best looking man for my husband in the entire universe and I couldn't be happier."

Eventually Kathryn returned to her master suite and began getting ready for the occasion. Chakotay poked his head in on Kate and asked if it was required that he wear his dress uniform. She laughed and said of course not because while she wasn't wearing her official dress uniform, her wedding attire had been designed to be very similar to her Starfleet colors. Since the wedding was being held on the Starfleet grounds, it was either required to wear their dress uniforms unless the bride had obtained approval to wear something else, which Kate had done previously. Michael would be wearing his dress uniform, but Chakotay was free to wear that or a tuxedo. Kate knew that Kathryn wasn't wearing her dress uniform, but she wasn't about to tell her father that. She wanted him to be surprised.

Kate quickly slipped across the hall to her mother's suite and couldn't help but gasp.

"Mom," Kate said almost breathlessly. "You look absolutely stunning."

Kathryn was dressed in a simple yet elegant black dress that had a small red sash around the waist line. She was able to get by wearing the dress because it was the Starfleet command colors of red and black. The neckline was lower than what Kathryn typically wore, but it wasn't to the extreme. Kate smiled and the look in her eyes made Kathryn realize that Kate knew her father would go crazy over Kathryn's outfit.

"It's a good thing you're getting married today because any man may try to sweep you off your feet in that dress," she couldn't help but chide with her mother.

Kathryn smiled and stepped closer to her daughter asking her to help her with her necklace. "They might try, but I don't think Chakotay would allow that to happen nor would I. I'm beyond happy, Kate. I can't imagine life being any more perfect. I can't wait to marry my best friend, my soul mate, but I also can't wait to see my beautiful daughter walk down the aisle before me and marry her best friend and soul mate."

After spending a few more moments together, Kate went back across to her room to finish getting ready. As Galina worked with Kate on helping her finish getting ready, Kate ultimately knew that there would be no way to prevent Chakotay from seeing his bride prior to their wedding, and more than likely, Kate wouldn't get to see his reaction when her mother stepped out from her suite. But she knew that Deanna would fill her in on all the details, as she had just left the room to go summon their ride for the ceremony.

Galina and Deanna small chatted with Chakotay as they kept an ever watchful eye out the window for their ride and for the appearance of Kathryn and Kate. When they heard Chakotay's sharp intake of breath, they turned to see Admiral Janeway appear from her room. Even Galina and Deanna were both stunned by the Admiral's transformation. Her dress was sleek. She had swept her hair into an up-do and had some tendrils frame her delicate face. Galina watched as Chakotay stepped closer to her and handed her a bouquet of red roses.

He opened his mouth to say something but words wouldn't come. He eyed her up and down and Kathryn couldn't help but smirk.

"Like what you see, Captain?" she quizzed.

He nodded his head. "Kathryn, there are no words to describe just how breathtakingly beautiful you look right now."

For the first time in years, she blushed. The way he was looking at her, made her feel like something she had never quite felt before. She was about to say something else when she noticed Chakotay's eyes shift behind her and the look on his face, while pleasant, almost looked as if he had seen an apparition.

Kathryn turned around slowly and stared in complete awe at her daughter, who in that moment, looked exactly like Kathryn did when she was her age. It took her own breath away.

Kate's gown had been exclusively made for her. The top portion, which was a halter style that was form-fitting and gathered around her neck allowing a small portion of her upper back to be exposed, was red in color. The lower portion of the dress was more flowing and was black in color. But around the waist line, the gown was designed with her rank, which had been adjusted due to her promotion. The markings of her rank were mock diamond rhinestones that sparkled incessantly. It was an absolutely gorgeous dress, and one that she knew would cause heads to turn.

Kathryn stepped directly into her daughter's private space and lightly caressed her face. "Sweetheart, you looking absolutely stunning."

Kate smiled down at her. "Seeing a replica, huh, Mom?" she questioned.

Kathryn shook her head and laughed. "I was never quite this beautiful, honey, but I do see the resemblance between us very strongly today. But that doesn't matter because you are so, so beautiful and always so true to yourself."

Galina hated to interrupt but their transportation had arrived and the time was drawing near. Kathryn, Deanna and Galina helped Kate out of the apartment building and into the awaiting transportation where they were driven to the park for the ceremony.

As the ceremony slowly began and after Kathryn had been escorted down the aisle, by Tom Paris no less, Chakotay had a quick moment alone with his daughter.

"Kate, I'm beyond proud of you. You look exactly like your mother, don't let her say otherwise. But you are always individually you. You are beautiful inside and out and never change that. And you'll always be my little girl. I love you, honey," he added with a quick kiss to her cheek.

She returned his kiss with one of her own. "Thanks, Edoda. I love you, too."

Kate and Michael's wedding ceremony went off without a hitch. It was truly a magical service. Chakotay and Kathryn held each other's hands throughout most of the ceremony, as he could tell she was slightly nervous. Once Kate and Michael had finished their vows, exchanged their ceremonial rings and officially became husband and wife, they slowly made their way back down the aisle. The wedding party followed suit, as in typical fashion, followed soon thereafter by Kathryn and Chakotay. But, in a strange twist, the Admiral officiating the wedding made an announcement that sent silent ripples throughout the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, before we leave today, we have a surprise for those of you in attendance. Not only did we just witness a glorious wedding of Captain Kate Janeway and Doctor Michael Killarney, but we have a surprise for the rest of you in that we have another wedding ceremony that is going to follow. Please remain in your seats for a few brief moments."

Tom and B'Elanna exchanged wild looks wondering what on earth was about to transpire. The wedding music started again and Chakotay appeared at the altar with Michael as his best man. Kate shortly thereafter strolled down the aisle, again. Then to the shock of everyone in the audience, Admiral Kathryn Janeway slowly made her way down the aisle, and in a surprise to most everyone in the audience, she had tears slowly trickling down her face.

Gasps were heard all around from various  _Voyager_  crewmembers as they suddenly realized their former Captain was finally tying the knot with their most recent Captain. Tom gave a thumbs up to Harry, as their bets from all years past were finally coming to fruition. B'Elanna took Tom's hand and they all held their breaths at this special moment that they were all getting ready to witness – a moment they had waited for eternity to happen or so it seemed.

Once Kathryn made her way to the makeshift altar, Chakotay reached out and took her by the hand and reached up to wipe the stray tears away from her face. Kate peeped over at Michael and smiled contently at the show of humility and love that her two parents shared for each other. The ceremony wasn't as lengthy as Kate and Michael's, but in some ways, it was much more heart-felt. After their ceremony was completed, everyone was invited to the wedding reception, which Tom and Harry called the after-party.

A portion of the park, just steps away from where the ceremony had taken place, had been transformed into a tropical luau of sorts with food overflowing in every direction possible. Lights were hung in the trees giving it a tropical feel, and the music was right up Tom's alley as he grabbed B'Elanna's hand and hit the dance floor to the laughter of most everyone in attendance. Kate and Michael soon followed suit with their varying friends, family and colleagues. Kathryn and Chakotay stood off to the side watching many of, what had become their children, share in a joyous fit of laughter and dancing on the floor.

"Well, Mrs. Chakotay," he stated, "don't you want to join the festivities on the floor?"

Kathryn gave him the look that stated she couldn't believe he asked that question, but when she glanced back and saw that her own sister and mother were out on the dance floor doing some group dance, her mouth dropped open and Chakotay couldn't help but chuckle.

"I think that answers the question, Kathryn. Are you gonna let your mother and sister outshine you?"

When she turned to glance at him, he saw that wicked twinkle in her eye. He had dared her and he knew she couldn't resist that.

"Hell, no, Chakotay! This is partially our night, so let's get out there and show them just exactly how it is done."

In a shocking turn, she grabbed his hand and drug him, who usually stayed far away from a dance floor, to the center shoving Tom and Harry out of her way. For the next hour or so, Kathryn and, even Chakotay, showed everyone who was boss as they outshined practically everyone. With Kathryn by his side, Chakotay wasn't afraid to let his guard down and show off some moves to the catcalls of many other female crewmembers, which caused Kathryn to grin and shoot glares in the general direction of anyone who might try to steal her man.

After several hours of celebration, the real bride and groom bid their farewell to their guests as they were ready to embark on their honeymoon. Kathryn and Chakotay bid their daughter and her husband a fond farewell, which Chakotay practically had to pull Kathryn from Kate, so she and Michael could make their trek onward. Tom and B'Elanna couldn't help but watch from afar the pride and joy that was etched across both their former commanding officers faces. They slowly strode over towards where the proud parents stood.

"So, what about you two?" Tom quizzed.

Kathryn turned and raised her right eyebrow as if questioning Tom. "What about us, Tom?" she finally asked.

"The honeymoon. Aren't you two going to celebrate your honeymoon somewhere?"

Kathryn smiled and shook her head. "You know, Mr. Paris, I know you and Mr. Kim always had a bet about me and Chakotay, and I'm sure you likely cashed in on that while I walked down the aisle, although you may have cashed it in sooner. But since our wedding today was so sudden and not planned, we haven't even given thought to a honeymoon."

B'Elanna couldn't help but notice the smirk on Chakotay's face, and in that instance, she realized that while Kathryn hadn't given it much thought, she had all ideas that Chakotay already had something planned. As if reading B'Elanna's mind, Tom chimed back in again.

"That true, Chakotay? You're going to leave your bride hanging with no honeymoon?"

Chakotay turned his head over his right shoulder and looked as a sleek flyer appeared out of nowhere, which caused Tom and B'Elanna to both gasp.

"I would never disappoint my wife, the Admiral, Mr. Paris. Sweetheart, our ride awaits," Chakotay stated while nodding towards the flying machine.

"But, Chakotay," Kathryn stammered in complete shock. "I, uh, I haven't packed a thing and I, well," she couldn't form a sentence because he had totally captured her off-guard. She continued to try to babble and pester, but shocking to everyone, Chakotay swept her off her feet and held her proudly in his arms.

"You, my dear, never allow anyone to surprise you, so it's my turn to do just that. Let's go," he stated while walking with her, in his arms, towards the flyer, whose doors opened automatically once he neared. He walked in and set her down in the co-pilot's seat while he sat in the pilot's seat and powered the beauty of a machine up.

As they slowly made their way up into the lower levels of the atmosphere, Kathryn finally allowed herself to get out of her chair and explore the flyer, where she found luggage that was stored, as well as food and champagne and all sorts of goodies awaiting them.

"Chakotay," she practically gasped before returning to the seat beside of him. "How did you manage to do all this? And where on earth did you get access to this new flyer? I've never seen this one before, ever."

He smirked. "It's fresh off the manufacturing floor. It's been tested a few times, but I put in a special request, and was permitted access to take it. And as to how I pulled it all off, well I would be lying if I didn't say I had some help, but for the most part, I did it all by myself. You deserve only the best, Kathryn, my love, and I hope our destination is a surprise to you, as well."

For the next couple of hours Kathryn and Chakotay shared small-chat about the day in general and discussed the future of Kate becoming the new Captain onboard the new  _Voyager_. All the while, Kathryn secretly wondered just where Chakotay was taking her.

"You know," Chakotay stated, "we're actually doing Kate a favor."

"How so?" Kathryn asked while taking a bite of a piece of chocolate from the tray she had found within the small refrigerator contraption on the impressive flyer.

"This flyer is likely going to be placed on the new  _Voyager_. So, naturally, we are giving it our approval, right?"

Kathryn attempted to speak, but the chocolate was so mesmerizing, her eyes practically rolled in to the back of her head, which caused Chakotay to snicker in return.

"Well," she replied in between another bite of the heavenly delight, of which she also placed in Chakotay's mouth so he could sample the delicacy, "this flyer could be practically lived in, honey."

Chakotay laughed and absorbed the chocolate. "This stuff is delicious."

Kathryn laughed, "If I didn't know better, I would have said it tastes just like something my mother used to make," and she paused as she noticed Chakotay's reaction. "Chakotay!" she teasingly shouted. "My Mother? You instigated my own mother in this conspiracy?"

He couldn't help but laugh and leaned over and placed a kiss on her lips. "Your mother, your sister, our daughter and maybe one or two other sources. But even they don't know where we're going, well, Katie does."

Kathryn raised her eyebrows and inched closer to him. "Katie? Since when did we start calling her that? I thought that was my pet name."

The sudden switch in the tone in her voice from serious to sultry practically sent reverberations throughout Chakotay's body.

"You're my one and only Katie, but you and I both know we have other nicknames that are much more preferable for you, right? Like my little Kitten Kat," he added while she practically purred at him in response. "Plus Michael calls her Katie all the time, even though he spells it K-A-T-Y, which I guess is the Irish way, and I guess I just got used to him calling her that, so I do too occasionally."

She smirked. "Fine, I'll let you off the hook because you have a point about my other nicknames. How much longer, Chakotay?"

He couldn't help but laugh. "Always like a child, at times, Kathryn. Patience was never one of your strong suits, but not much longer."

For a few more moments, they rode together in silence with Kathryn and Chakotay holding hands until he finally had to let go of her hand to pilot the flyer into its final descent. When they landed, Kathryn practically stood from her seat peering through the windows on the flyer. She was mesmerized. Chakotay, who had not physically seen this place either as he had only been told about it by Kate and Michael, was in awe.

"Chakotay," she half breathed and gasped his name at the same time. "It's beautiful, it's just like," and she paused and turned to him. "How is this even possible?"

He initially didn't respond right away to her question because he was in complete astonishment at how uncanny this place truly did resemble New Earth. When Kathryn stared at his face, she realized that even he was stunned. But, he eventually turned his attention to her and the sparkle in her beautiful blue eyes caused a large smile to creep out across his face.

"It's perfect, Kathryn, just like you are," he stated before placing a light kiss on her lips, which caused her to blush somewhat in response.

Slowly they made their way out of their flyer, carefully locking it as Kathryn could instantly tell that this time, they weren't the only ones inhabiting this land. An older couple approached them from a distance and called out their names, "Kathryn and Chakotay?"

For a moment, they both froze in place. It was so unusual to not be referred to by their titles. It was nice to just be thought of as the two of them being a couple.

"Yes, that's us," Chakotay replied as he shook hands with both of the individuals, while still holding onto Kathryn's other hand.

"Hello! Welcome to Nouvelle Terre! My name is Jacques, and this is my wife, Sophie. We are pleased to have the both of you staying with us here for a few days. We are the overseers of Nouvelle Terre. I spoke with Captain Janeway at great length before your arrival, and we believe we have arranged the perfect accommodations for the two of you. A very private retreat for you to enjoy. There are many other people here on Nouvelle Terre, but we try to respect each individual's privacy while they are enjoying a respite here. If you will, we will escort you, and your flyer, over to your lodging locale. You are free to roam anywhere you choose while here."

Kathryn's mouth was practically agape. "Thank you for your kindness and generosity. But a couple of questions. You spoke with Captain Janeway? When was that? And Nouvelle Terre, I have an idea of what that stands for but can you clarify?"

Sophie smiled faintly and replied. "Yes, madam. Jacques and I are descendants from the French provinces upon Earth, and while we loved it there, we wanted to create a place that was somewhat reminiscent of there, but also a lot more exotic and cozy. Nouvelle Terre is French for New Earth."

Chakotay couldn't help but turn his head to catch a smirk that appeared on Kathryn's face, while Jacques continued to answer the remainder of the Admiral's questions. "As far as Captain Janeway, I actually finished speaking with her probably a few hours ago. It is my understanding that she is your daughter, correct?" They both nodded in unison. "She wanted to ensure that you all were provided for and she gave me some additional details to be sure we fit in for you. So, if you will, please follow us in your flyer."

As Chakotay and Kathryn made their way back onboard their flyer, Kathryn turned to Chakotay. "Just what is Kate up to? She's supposed to be on her own honeymoon, yet she's…" and Kathryn immediately stopped speaking once her eyes settled on the breathtaking sight that had appeared before her through the view screen.

Snaking through the distance was one of the most immaculate rivers or bodies of water that Kathryn had ever seen. The water was almost crystal clear. Lush vegetation and trees of all kinds were surrounding the banks of the river. Dotted along the shoreline one could see periodic little bungalows hidden amongst the trees and vegetation. The bungalow that was reserved for Chakotay and Kathryn was somewhat larger than the others, and Kathryn couldn't help notice the outdoor hot tub along with a "boat", they both said in unison as if they were both reading each other's thoughts.

Kate had somehow gone to great lengths to ensure that their honeymoon destination was perfectly similar to their rendezvous on New Earth, where their magical past likely collided in full measure. Slowly, Chakotay took Kathryn's hand and led her back out of the flyer to meet up with Jacques and Sophie.

"This is your bungalow for the next week or ever how long you want it. Captain Janeway, reserved it for an unlimited stay on your behalf. She is very well liked in these parts."

Kathryn's eyebrows raised, "Really?" she asked curiously.

Jacques and Sophie shared a small laugh before Sophie replied, "Yes, very much so, Kathryn. Your daughter is quite famous amongst our natives. We would do anything to help her, and as a matter of fact, I can see that she resembles you quite substantially."

Kathryn smiled and nodded her head. "Thank you."

Jacques handed them a key. "The place is all yours. You won't necessarily need the key as your closest neighbors are quite a distance away. This is one of our more reclusive and exclusive bungalows. As I said before, Nouvelle Terre is yours to explore and enjoy for as long as you like. Should you need anything from us or any of our attendants, there are instructions inside for how to contact us. This is Louis. He will help unload your personal items, and he will be your immediate attendant during your stay. Anytime you need him, there is a call button that you can simply utilize and he will be at your beck and call."

Chakotay and Kathryn turned to watch as Louis had boarded the flyer quickly began to relocate many of their luggage and personal items into the bungalow. Chakotay extended his hand to Jacques.

"We can't thank you enough for your hospitality thus far, and I am sure Kathryn and I will enjoy our stay immensely as it is absolutely beautiful here. It reminds us so much of a place the two of us hold very dear to our hearts."

They all exchanged their final pleasantries before Jacques and Sophie left in their vehicle. Louis remained behind for a few moments and pointed out some varying things to both Chakotay and Kathryn, including places to visit, eat and such. While it seemed like such a remote destination, per Louis, just a few miles down the way was a relatively large city that could be accessible by their flyer, boat or any other means of transportation and it offered an array of items for them should they need anything. He eventually departed leaving the two of them finally alone to explore their surroundings and utterly themselves.

Meanwhile, light years away, Kate awoke in the arms of Michael, who nuzzled her neck. "What you thinking about, Katy?" he lulled in his utterly gorgeous Irish accent that Kate absolutely adored.

"Just wondering what Mom is thinking about Nouvelle Terre?"

Michael chuckled. "She apparently doesn't know you accessed hers and Chakotay's logs to get their notes on New Earth, does she?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "I didn't access them so much as I hacked in to them because they were PERSONAL logs, Michael."

"Yes, dear, but you are their daughter, so you should have access to that sort of information. I mean do you really think they would be mad at you accessing those logs?"

"You obviously forgot who my mother is."

He kissed the top of her forehead. "Ahh, Katy, I think your mother has changed and for the better. I haven't seen her so happy, well maybe with the exception of when she looks at you. But I think they'll be so carried away with Nouvelle Terre that they'll forgive you, if they even put two and two together and figure it out. Because they've both talked to you about New Earth, right?"

"Yes, of course, but not in great detail, and while I didn't read their entire personal logs, I immediately could tell that place held such a strong passionate desire that wasn't just a one-way street like my Dad thought it was. Mom was head over heels in love with him, but while she used the parameters line of Starfleet and him being her subordinate as the excuse for not allowing them to be too close, in her personal logs, she admitted she was terrified because she had never felt that way towards anyone before."

Michael sighed. "That's magical love, Katy. That type of love doesn't come around very much, if ever. They are both happy. You can see it in their eyes. I'm very happy, especially for your mother. It's high time she lets her hair down and lets the real Kathryn out."

Kate stared over at Michael. "You really mean that, don't you?"

He smiled and replied, "I've only seen the real Kathryn on rare occasions, but seeing how she interacted with Chakotay on Deep Space Nine, I knew that was the real Kathryn. She allows her mask to completely drop when she's around him, and that's where she needs to be. She's a good woman on so many levels, Katy. Yes, I know we've had our encounters with her, but overall, she, just like you, deserves to be happy. And both of you are – you both have wonderful spouses and you have each other."

Kate wrapped her arm tighter around Michael's chest, "We do have two amazing spouses, although I think mine is the best."

"But, of course, my lass," Michael added before kissing his bride.

Over the course of the next few days, Kate, Michael, Kathryn and Chakotay enjoyed their respective honeymoons in their own locations, while the crew of  _Voyager_  was enjoying their own vacations. All knew when they returned to active duty, things would be completely different – a new ship, a new crew and ultimately, a new Captain.

Eventually, Kate and Michael returned to San Francisco a little over a week after they had gotten married. They met up with Tom and B'Elanna for dinner at a local restaurant, where Tom jokingly asked if anyone had heard from Kathryn and Chakotay, to which no one had. They all knew Kate had a big task in front of her in choosing her First Officer. While she pondered choosing either Tom or B'Elanna, she ultimately knew that they would not likely want to remain in active duty for much longer as they had both been pondering retirement. She asked them to remain onboard, and Tom was jumping at the bit to be the pilot of this newest starship. So, he would ultimately remain as the pilot with B'Elanna as the Chief Engineer, almost as if time had stood still. Harry would get moved over to the Head of Security, and she promoted Galina to fill Harry's void. That left only the First Officer role to be filled. That would be a tough choice for her because it had to be someone who would oversee the crew, but ultimately be someone she could bounce her ideas off.

The night before Michael was to depart to head back to Deep Space Nine, Kate gave him a tour of  _Voyager_. The crew had not been granted access to the ship yet, but as Captain, she had access at any time. As she and Michael strolled the corridors of the massive ship, she told him of her dilemma in choosing a First Officer.

"Katy, the problem is you've always been a First Officer or Commander. You're not only trying to find a 'you' to hire, but you're also likely looking at your Mom's example of Chakotay. You're never going to find a Chakotay either. Just go with your gut instinct. You and I have discussed this and I know there's one or two individuals that you've tossed around the idea of."

Kate stopped as they had just walked on to the bridge of the ship. It was massive, practically twice the size of the previous  _Voyager's_. The Captain and Commander's seats had not been installed yet, but she stood where those seats would likely be placed, and then she did something somewhat out of character for her – she paced. Michael smirked because Chakotay had told him how Kathryn would pace when she was nervous or had something on her mind.

"Katy Kathryn, you're pacing?" Michael quizzed her, which caused her to halt mid-step.

"Mitchell would be a good fit. He is your friend though, and I wonder how much grief that is going to get me for promoting my husband's friend."

Michael realized where this was going. "Ah, I hadn't thought of it in that way. He and I are friends, as we both grew up in Ireland, but honey, we rarely ever see each other anymore, so we are hardly best friends. And you don't even really know him at all. Although he is a great Starfleet officer."

"I know that. His qualifications are top-notch. He is an excellent officer, but I also know you Irish guys can be a bit of rebel rousers at times, and is that what I really need as the First Officer of my crew?"

Michael nodded, "Who did you really want to put there?"

"Honestly," Kate stated and paused to glance at the console that had been installed between the Captain and Commander's seat. "I had pondered asking B'Elanna to be my First Officer, but having a dual female command team would not likely be logical."

"Phew," Michael said with a relieved tone. "For a minute, I was afraid you might say Seven of Nine."

He knew saying that would send Kate over the edge, and the look she shot him indicated that he knew he had struck a nerve. "I was just kidding, sweetheart."

"You know, it's amazing because everyone knows this ship is the cream of the crop, and everyone has been coming out of the woodwork trying to be my best friend because they either want to serve onboard this ship in some capacity or they want to be my First Officer. I never knew I had such a fan base, but it is a tough decision. Because the First Officer not only handles most of the personnel issues and the matters of the ship, but he or she ultimately is responsible for keeping the Captain in line. It has to be someone I can explicitly trust because I refuse to put myself into another situation as I was in with Calhoun."

"Well, I can certainly understand that. The only other person on your list was, shoot I always forget his name…"

"Sage Walker."

"Yes, Sage. How could I forget that? Well, what's wrong with him? I mean he's half Native American and half-Irish, so seems like a perfect fit to me."

Kate rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong with him. Sometimes he's a little too perfect. I mean his Starfleet record is impeccable. Both he and Mitchell are serving as First Officers onboard their respective ships. Even though one would think this would be a lateral position, it would be a promotion because of  _Voyager_  being a super ship in classification now. On paper, their qualifications are basically mirror images of each other. They're both charming and good looking and meet all of my requirements," she said while allowing a sly smirk to creep across her face.

"Kathryn!" Michael practically wailed and then laughed his infamous hearty Irish laugh.

"You know I'm just kidding. But I think it'll be between those two, but choosing is going to be near impossible."

Michael wrapped his arm around his wife's waist and pulled her closer to him. "Whatever you decide, it'll be the right decision. Have you thought about running it past your Mom or Dad, just to get their opinion or input?"

"Well, if they ever decided to come home from Nouvelle Terre, I might would consider it. But, it's ultimately a choice I have to make myself. Their personalities may be the deciding factor, but I know I'll eventually come to the right decision. I've not talked to either of them about it, but I know they both have expressed strong interest in the position. Anyways, enough of that, let's go. It's your last night before you return to your duties, and well, we won't see each other for quite a while."

"Wanna christen your quarters?" Michael asked while repeatedly raising his eyebrows.

Kate nearly doubled over in laughter. "As much as that sounds appealing, since the final quarter arrangements have not been assigned, we best not do that yet in the event we christen the wrong quarters. I'm sure we'll make a pit stop at Deep Space Nine before long anyways," she added while taking him by the arm and leading him back off the ship.

The next morning was bittersweet for Kate as she escorted Michael to the transport station where he transported to a ship in orbit that would carry him back to Deep Space Nine, where he would resume his regular duties. For the first time in a long time, after Michael had dematerialized, Kate stood on the platform alone, and felt alone. She and Michael had been able to spend a decent amount time together recently and with him leaving, she felt the void as it encompassed her. She felt the weight of the world on her shoulders and in that moment, she only wished that she could fall into her mother's arms. As crazy as it was for a grown woman to be thinking that, sometimes the arms of one's mother is all that's needed to let you know that things would be okay.

But over a month had passed and she had not heard a word from either of her parents. She knew they were okay because Jacques and Sophie would have contacted her otherwise, but Kate secretly wondered just how magical Nouvelle Terre had become for the two of them. She had to focus on her newest task, as  _Voyager_ was due to embark on its first mission in a little over a week. She needed to make sure she had met with all the senior staff, who would assist in the crew assignments, and ultimately, she had to decide upon her First Officer.

She briefly stared heavenward and muttered to herself, "Why does this have to be so difficult?"

"Why does what have to be so difficult?" came a reply to Kate's question.

Kate's back was to the person who had replied to her question, but she knew that voice and she couldn't wipe the smile off her face as she whirled around on her heels to find her own mother, donned in her Admiral's uniform standing mere feet from her. Whatever possessed Kate, she couldn't overcome it, but almost as if she were a small child, she picked up the pace and quite literally fell into her mother's awaiting arms.

Kathryn was slightly caught off-guard by Kate's reaction to seeing her. She held her daughter in her arms and slowly stroked her back whispering softly into her daughter's hair, "Sweetheart, are you okay?"

Kate pulled back and slightly chuckled and shook her head while glancing over her mother's shoulder as if she were looking for someone. Kathryn shook her head and said, "It's just me. Chakotay is at home preparing for his class that he has to teach tomorrow, which he ultimately forgot about. I was looking for you, and Tom and B'Elanna said I would likely find you here as you were seeing Michael off, whom I hate I missed saying goodbye to. But, honey, what's the matter?" she questioned while taking each of her daughter's petite hands in her own.

"Oh, Mom," Kate dragged. "I have so many questions I want to ask you, but I'm just plagued right now about why choosing my First Officer is so difficult. I literally am at a loss over what to do."

Kathryn smirked, "Well, why don't we go discuss this over coffee at that cute little café in downtown San Francisco? That way we're away from the Starfleet crowd, and we can catch-up and I'll offer you any input while we gaze out over the sparkling bay waters. What do you say?"

"It sounds absolutely wonderful, Mom," Kate replied while taking Kathryn's hand as they strolled throughout the city. "I've missed being able to talk to you, but ultimately, I knew you were safe and sound because Jacques and Sophie would have notified me otherwise."

Kathryn laughed. "You know you could have contacted us anytime."

"Mom!" Kate protested, "It was your honeymoon, and mine, too, for that matter. I was not about to bother the two of you at Nouvelle Terre. Did you like it?"

Kathryn was silent for a moment and she barely whispered, "It was magical, Kate. Just like New Earth in so, so many ways. We were both mesmerized. You outdid yourself this time, sweetheart."

Kate beamed with pride. "The two of you deserve the best."

For the next few hours, Kate and Kathryn enjoyed a brief time of catching up and discussing the upcoming mission of  _Voyager_ , including Kate's choices for First Officer. While Kathryn didn't give any sort of inclination to Kate as to which candidate she would choose, should she have been in Kate's shoes, she listened with great detail and provided some insightful pointers that really helped to ease her daughter's mind about one of the most important decisions that she would have to make.

"Sweetheart, let me say this, choosing a First Officer is important, but at the same time, don't let that be what bogs you down. Take me for instance, my initial First Officer, I didn't take great time worrying and stressing over it. I just went with service record and qualifications, and while he was a wonderful First Officer, and I am not saying at all that I'm glad he passed away, it turned out that he wasn't what I needed. Chakotay quite literally was the enemy and he practically fell into my lap after our ordeal with the Caretaker. I never hesitated for one second in choosing him over some of my other Starfleet officers to be my First Officer.

"Some likely assumed it was to keep peace with the Maquis personnel, and maybe to some extent it was, but I just knew that he was wise, smart, talented and just what  _Voyager_  and ultimately I needed. He knew how to take care of the crew. He read me like a book and knew the instant I was about to get out of line or knew when to help reign me in. Above all, he was dedicated and devoted to me. There were many, many times he would stop me from doing something irrational because it was his duty to ultimately protect the Captain, and that was one duty that he took to heart. You'll likely never find another Chakotay. I'm not saying they don't exist, but I have a feeling that's what you are looking for. You, yourself were a fine First Officer onboard  _Excalibur_  and  _Voyager_ , and you weren't always like Chakotay either. Don't necessarily look for that. You may want one who is more by the books than not. But it's not a bad thing to find one like him, too. It's ultimately your call, but trust your gut and listen to your heart, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise, including me."

Kate reached across the table and rested her hand on top of her mother's. "Thank you. Sometimes I overthink things when I should just go with what my heart has been saying all along. I'm so glad that you're in my life now because I honestly don't know what I would have done without you."

Kathryn smiled. "You're beyond smart, my Kathryn, and I know that even had our paths never crossed that you would still have excelled at whatever you set your mind to. I am beyond proud of you, and I know that no matter who or what you may encounter while in the Captain's seat, that you'll not only do what's best for your crew, you'll honor Starfleet at every turn and ultimately, you'll make me not only one proud Admiral, but one honored woman who is humbled and extremely grateful to say that I'm your Mother."

Kate was humbled by her mother's remarks and she was about to say something when the doors to the exterior patio, where they were seated overlooking the water, opened and out walked her father. He walked directly over to their table and smiled.

"I thought I might find the two of you here," he stated while placing a kiss on Kate's cheek and Kathryn's lips before taking a seat opposite of Kathryn. "I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

Kathryn and Kate both laughed and shook their heads no.

"We were just catching up on life, I suppose you could say, honey," Kathryn replied for the two of them. "And naturally, I was trying to pry any sort of information I could out of her concerning her upcoming mission."

"Kathryn," Chakotay semi-chided. "Why do we want to know about the mission? I was hoping she'd give us a tour of the ship first. And since you're a ranking Admiral, shouldn't you already have access to her missions?"

Kate smirked in response to what Chakotay had stated before she replied, "He does have a point, you know."

Kathryn tossed both hands in the air and slightly rolled her eyes. "Alright you two! You don't both have to gang up on me at the same time."

Over the course of the next few hours, the trio continued to small chat before they ended up leaving the café to take a stroll in the park along the Bay. Kathryn knew that her daughter was nervous about her upcoming mission, even though she ultimately knew Kate would never admit to it. They stopped at a point in the park that offered picturesque views of the city, Starfleet Command and the Academy and ultimately the Bay. Chakotay looked at Kathryn who nodded up at him and smiled faintly.

"I guess I won't get to see this view for quite a while," Kate whispered so quietly she wasn't sure if she had even uttered the statement.

Instinctively, her parents moved to either side of her and both placed their arms around her. It was Kathryn who broke the silence of the touching moment.

"You know, sweetheart, I know you're nervous about this monumental event that's about to transpire in your life. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous when I was first appointed to Captain and sent on my first mission on  _Voyager_. But, it's okay to be nervous. Being a Captain is a big responsibility, but you were born for this, and I don't say that because both of your parents having been Captains and your ancestors before. You have the characteristics in your own DNA. You're a natural born leader. You are beyond intelligent and can think quickly on your feet. You're the perfect fit for this role, and I know that nothing can stop you when you set your mind to it. Just know that no matter where in the universe you are, Chakotay and I will always be here for you and we are beyond proud of you."

Kate embraced both of her parents and thanked them for all their support. Eventually they made their way back to their residences, where later that evening as she was getting ready to climb in bed, Kate made the decision as to who would be her First Officer, and sent him a message offering him the job. And for once, she was at peace with the decision.


	21. Chapter 21

Over the next week, Kate held meetings with all of her senior officers and ultimately introduced them all to their First Officer, Commander Sage Walker. She was initially hesitant about how he would be perceived, in particular by Harry, B'Elanna and Tom, but shockingly, they all seemed to mesh well with him and really got along with him. Together the Captain and the Commander worked on the cabin assignments and duty rosters, as Kate wanted to maintain a very active role in her crew's lives, even though she ultimately knew there would have to be distance at times, as well.

Leading up to pre-launch, Kate had not stayed onboard  _Voyager-B_ , and when she walked into her living quarters for the first time, she audibly gasped at the sheer size of her personal residence. It was nearly as big as her apartment back at Command. Her personal belongings were being delivered and she needed to take time to set up her quarters. Fortunately, Galina popped in to visit.

"So, Kate, um, I mean Captain," to which Kate shook her head.

"It's only Captain when we're officially on-duty or in a working relationship. We have a special friendship, so I won't always expect you to call me Captain, you know that right, Lieutenant?" Kate added with extra emphasis on Galina's newest title and promotion.

Galina smiled and nodded, "How do you like your quarters?"

Kate raised her eyebrows in response. "Much larger than I expected. My belongings are in the process of being transferred, but I've still got so many meetings that I don't know when I will ever get everything all set up."

Kate didn't mean for her tone to sound as if she were desperate or in need of help because she ultimately knew that she would get her quarters set up at some point during their journey, but Galina picked up on the slight tonal modification in her friend's voice.

"How about this?" Galina began, "While you go tend to your official Starfleet business and conduct your final meetings with the Admirals and welcome all the other crewmembers onboard, I'll take care of getting your quarters arranged. It may not be fully ready by the time we leave, but it'll at least be partially done so you don't have too much extra to stress over."

Kate embraced Galina before replying, "What would I do without you? I don't want you to think I'm trying to sound pitiful and ask for help, but if you would be willing to do that, I'll owe you big time."

Galina smiled in return and stepped over to some boxes. "Get back to work, Captain, I've got this covered."

"Well, I don't think you can give me orders, but yes, ma'am," Kate stated before she retreated and headed back to her multitude of meetings that would occupy most of her time for the remainder of the day and evening before their early morning departure.

As Kate was leaving her final meeting at Starfleet Command, she debated briefly whether to return straight to  _Voyager_  or make a last stop by her apartment. As she was walking down the walkway just outside of the building, she caught glimpse of a couple who were seated along one of the park benches. She couldn't hide the smile that spread across her face.

"And just what are you two doing sitting on a park bench in the middle of Starfleet grounds?" she jokingly asked.

Chakotay and Kathryn stood from their seated positions and both embraced their daughter before Kathryn replied, "Well, since you've been locked away all day and likely will be heading straight back to  _Voyager_ , we didn't know if we'd get to see you before you left. So, we just had to see our baby girl one more time before you departed for the great unknown."

Kate wrapped her arms around both of her parents. "Well, you're partially right, although I was pondering staying at my apartment tonight, but would you two like a tour of the new and improved  _Voyager_  on the eve before our departure? I think it would only be appropriate that the new  _Voyager_  be blessed and christened by the two captains of her predecessor, mother ship."

As the three of them strolled back towards the airfield, which in a rare twist  _Voyager_  had not yet been released airborne as it would make its official ascent from the ground level of Earth up into space for an unprecedented first for Starfleet vessels, Chakotay, Kathryn and Kate made small talk about what they had been doing the past week as they all had had very little time to see each other. Kathryn had been busy with a number of her Admiral duties, while Chakotay was transitioning into his teaching role at Starfleet Academy, which he seemed to be greatly enjoying as best Kate could ascertain. She was relieved to see them so happy and so utterly in love. She couldn't help but watch how, even all these years later, Chakotay always kept a watchful and protective eye over Kathryn. Kate secretly wished, in some way, that Michael was more like her father, even though Michael was beyond good to her in many ways.

As they approached  _Voyager_ , Kathryn and Chakotay, who had previously seen the ship from afar, were amazed at the sleek design of the newest vessel in the fleet, but they were blown away by the size of the ship. While many of the crew buzzed around in final preparation for the departure tomorrow, they boarded the vessel and Kate gave them the personal tour or "The fifty cent tour", as she referred to it as. They toured all the main locations before ultimately approaching the bridge level.

As the doors to the turbolift opened and they walked out on to the bridge, the lieutenant currently on duty at one of the main stations, called to attention, "Captain on the bridge," and he paused as Chakotay and Kathryn stepped foot out of the doors, as well. "Make that two Captains and an Admiral on the bridge."

Kate nodded and indicated for him to at ease. She turned to look back at her parents' faces, both of which were a mixture of shock and admiration at the impressive design and intricate details of the bridge and command center of this prestigious ship.

"Very impressive," Kathryn muttered as she stepped around and inspected a variety of the work terminals scattered strategically amongst the expansive deck of the bridge. The bridge was tiered in similar fashion to the original  _Voyager's_  with the commanding officers' seats at the mid-level and other duty stations elevated above and beneath the command level. As Kathryn was strolling around, she abruptly stopped and turned to face Chakotay as Commander Sage Walker arrived on the bridge. Kate couldn't help but notice the eye contact that Kathryn and Chakotay shared, nor did she miss the slight smirk and raised eyebrow of her mother's.

Kate and Sage shared a few brief words before she walked him over towards where Chakotay had now joined Kathryn at a miniature astrometrics station off to the side of the main portion of the deck.

"Captain, Admiral," Kate called in a sheer business tone, "I'd like to introduce the both of you to  _Voyager's_ First Officer. Captain Chakotay, Admiral Kathryn Janeway, please meet Commander Sage Walker."

They all exchanged pleasantries until Kathryn took her daughter by the arm and stated, "Captain Janeway, would you care to show me to your ready room?"

It was more of a statement than so much a question, and Kate really had no option. As she headed towards the ready room with Kathryn, she couldn't help but glance back and see Chakotay was left standing on the command level of the bridge with her First Officer. She closed her eyes and shook her head realizing this was a set-up.

Once the doors to her ready room closed, Kate halted to a dead-stop, which nearly caused Kathryn to walk right into her. Kate spun on her heels and stood mere inches from her mother.

"Care to tell me what that's all about?" she asked while placing both hands on her hips, mimicking a stance that her own mother so often took over the years.

Kathryn side-stepped Kate and climbed the three stairs to the upper portion of Kate's ready room to stare out the massive bay windows overlooking the airfield. She sensed her daughter closing in a manner that was eerily similar to how Chakotay used to always close in and all but invade her personal space.

"Mother," Kate stated very bluntly.

Kathryn turned to face her daughter. "I'm surprised but not surprised by your choice of First Officer. I think you made a good choice, but you yourself said you wanted a Chakotay or at least someone to be similar to him. So, why not let Chakotay himself grill him a little to see where he stands on protecting his Captain?"

Kate rolled her eyes and made a sound of mock disgust. "Really? You two don't think I can take care of myself?"

Kathryn laughed, "He's not going to grill him, but he is going to suggest, albeit strongly, the importance of the role of a First Officer."

"Mother, you do realize that I am married and it's not going to be like you and Chakotay, right? I didn't pick Sage because of his looks, contrary to what Deanna thinks. I chose him based on his qualifications and his prior service record and his recommendations."

Kathryn shook her head and slightly laughed. "Well, now that you mention it, Commander Walker is a very nice looking man and he does somewhat remind me of Chakotay."

"MOTHER!" Kate practically shouted and then shook her head and laughed at the realization.

Kate and Kathryn shared a few moments discussing various Starfleet technicalities before Chakotay waltzed into the ready room with a Cheshire cat like grin on his face. He walked up and sat down beside of Kathryn, who turned towards him and said, "Well…"

Kate rolled her eyes before replying, "Seriously? You two staged this entire thing."

Chakotay laughed. "Not entirely, but I did need to see this dashing First Officer that B'Elanna had informed me of."

"Isn't he delicious though?" Kathryn joked to which Chakotay stuck out his bottom lip as if he were pouting.

"But I thought I was the delicious looking First Officer?"

"Oh, but you were and still are. Even though you're my Captain now, you were my official prize token Maquis officer, so that's far better than being delicious, honey."

Kate stood up and placed both hands on her hips. "Would the two of you care to stop this in my ready room? I can do a site-to-site transport back to your residence if you prefer."

Chakotay waved his hand indicating for her that was not necessary and to calm down. "But to answer your question, Kathryn, he'll do just fine."

The Admiral smiled in return and stood collecting Chakotay along with her. "That's what I wanted to hear," she added while wrapping an arm around his waist. "Well, Captain, I appreciate you giving us the official tour. This is a remarkable ship with a spectacular crew and quite possibly the best Captain that Starfleet currently has."

Kate nodded her head and eventually escorted her parents off the ship. As they were walking back towards Starfleet housing, Kate realized that this would be the last time she would see her parents for a while. Kathryn noticed how quiet she had gotten and suspected that she knew what her daughter was thinking. Wrapping an arm around Kate's shoulders as they continued to walk, Kathryn stated, "You know, I'm only a touch of your necklace away. We will keep in touch. Yes, we've been spoiled over the past few months, but thankfully things have rectified and we will always be in constant contact."

Kate smiled in reply to her mother and glanced over at her father. "We have been spoiled, and I will greatly miss seeing the both of you. But you're right, we'll always be together in spirit."

Kathryn and Chakotay helped Kate pack up a few items in her apartment before she turned to them and slightly nodded her head, which indicated to them that it was time for her to leave and head back to the ship for the final time. Kathryn stepped to her first and handed her a framed photo of the three of them and smiled. "I think this one needs to go in your Ready Room or at least your quarters."

Kate couldn't help but laugh before stuffing the frame in a bag that she would carry with her back to  _Voyager_. She turned and walked to Chakotay and engulfed him in a hug. "I love you, Edoda," she stated.

He pulled her slightly away from her and looked her squarely in the eye while still holding on to her shoulders. "I love you, sweetheart, and I am so beyond proud of you, but I'm more proud to call you my daughter."

Kathryn couldn't help but beam as she watched the two loves of her life share such a sweet and tender moment with each other. Eventually her patience wore thin, which Chakotay knew as he was playing with her mentally, and she practically pushed him aside to get to her daughter. Kathryn didn't give Kate the chance before she consumed her in a hug of her own, cradling her daughter in her arms.

Whispering into her hair, Kathryn stated, "My love, we've endured a lot in the past couple of years, and I'll never be able to apologize enough. But the past few months have been some of the best and happiest in my entire life. Sending you off on this mission, while part of me wishes you weren't going, it makes me proud. You make me proud. You've accomplished more than anyone, and I'm so blessed to be your Mom. Never think I'm not proud of you, and always know I love you more than you can ever imagine."

Kathryn kissed the top of her daughter's head before she pulled Kate back into a standing position and she cradled her face in her palms, studying her intently as if she were memorizing every feature on Kate's face. She gently kissed both of her daughter's cheeks before hugging her once more. Chakotay finally had to gently pry Kathryn away from Kate.

"Honey, we've gotta let her get back to the ship," he quietly coerced to his wife.

Kate smiled faintly before adding, "I love the both of you more than I ever thought possible. Take care of your selves, and I promise that I'll be okay and talk to you soon."

It ended up being Kate who left her temporary residence first, as Kathryn couldn't force herself to depart. She watched as Kate continued the walk down the sidewalk towards the airfield. Ever so slowly, Kate paused and glanced back, almost as if she knew her mother's eyes were watching her. She waved, blew a kiss and smiled a Chakotay smile before disappearing into the night.

After a few moments, Chakotay was able to pull Kathryn away from the window and the two of them retreated to their home, which they had acquired shortly after their return from their honeymoon. It was significantly larger than her Admiral's suite at Starfleet Command, and it was not on the grounds of Starfleet which gave them a little more privacy. When he opened the door and Kathryn entered, she immediately stopped, and for the first time in front of Chakotay, she had an utter meltdown – collapsing and being completely overcome with tears. He quickly gathered her in his arms and tried as hard as he could to whisper sweet, calming words to her.

"Chakotay," she gasped in between sobs. "I just can't…"

"Shh, stop, Kathryn. She is going to be fine. She's just a message away, and the Spirits know, that you'll always be on her mind."

She smiled faintly. "We both will, Chakotay. And thankfully, I have you. I've always had you. Thank you for always being my rock, my pillar, my source of strength."

He placed a kiss on her lips and she smiled. "That feel better, my love?" he question.

"Always," she replied before her expression somewhat dimmed.

Taking her by the hand, he led her over to the sofa that overlooked the crystal waters of the San Francisco Bay and their immaculate and expansive back yard.

"I tell you what," he started and paused as he waited for her to look up at him. "Tomorrow, we're going to go and get you a puppy. What do you think about that?"

The expression on her face completely morphed, and Chakotay thought she might bounce up and down from sheer excitement.

"Are you sure, Chakotay? I love dogs, but I mean will we be able to care for it adequately with our schedules?"

He laughed at how her mind was running a hundred miles per hour. "Well, I know how much you loved Molly, so with us somewhat having an empty nest now, I thought maybe it would help ease the burden some. We've got plenty of space, and I can work on some fencing and a doghouse, unless you want to keep it indoors, but we will figure it out, Kathryn. My teaching schedule will likely fluctuate, but I am sure we can make arrangements, and if you are going to be that excited every day when you come home to greet the puppy, then seeing you happy, that's all I need to make me happy, too."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to him as if she were afraid she might lose him. Eventually she pulled back some but still held on to his biceps.

"Chakotay," she almost whispered. "Thank you for always understanding me and knowing what to say and do at the exact time when I need to be uplifted. Since we're too old to have any more children, and who knows whether Kate and Michael can ever even find time to procreate, I think getting a puppy will be our way of starting fresh with our new little family."

He reached out and stroked her face. "I couldn't agree more, sweetheart, but can we please not name her Kathryn."

In a moment of her trying to be sassy and appear hurt at the same time, she stuck out her bottom lip and tried to pout. "What? You don't approve of my name? And you don't approve of my naming our daughter after me?"

He kissed her to silence her before they both chuckled briefly, however his look suddenly turned serious. "I think you made the best choice possible naming her after you because she is you, Kathryn, in more ways than one. And the middle name is pretty special, too. It's Native American and it's very close to my name, if you say it with the right inflection. You honored me by doing that, Kathryn, whether you even thought of it at the time or not."

She smiled at him. "You were always on my mind, Chakotay. Then, now and always," she paused and glanced out the window. "Maybe we should name him Chakotay."

He laughed. "So now you think I'm a dog?"

"Wellllll…," she drug out the word intentionally. "Of course not! Never in a million years. But, I guess we do have to decide on a boy or girl, a type of dog and a name."

"Sounds like having a kid is a little bit easier," he joked. "You have choices but not quite that many! But I think when we get there tomorrow, boy or girl, Labrador, Shepherd or whatever, we'll know immediately which one is ours."

She leaned against him. "As always, you're right, but until then, can we go to bed?"

"You have to ask?" he joked before sweeping her off her feet and carrying her into their master bedroom suite.

**Six Months Later – Location: Starfleet Command, San Francisco, California**

"Admiral Janeway?" Ensign Nesrine Morehead, Kathryn's lead assistant, called out from the lobby leading in to Kathryn's office.

"Yes, Ensign. Is everything alright?" Kathryn replied.

"Ma'am, if you can, do you mind stepping out into the lobby?"

Kathryn slowly stood from her desk and walked towards her office door and peered out into the lobby, where she was greeted with several bouquets of flowers that had been delivered to her office. Her mouth fell ajar as she wasn't sure where all these had come from, let alone who they all were for, though she naturally assumed they were for herself. As she was about to pluck a card from one of the bouquets, she felt something nuzzle against her leg.

"What the…" and she paused as she looked down to find her beautiful German Shorthaired Pointer, Cassie standing at her feet holding a bag in her mouth. "Cassie, my sweet girl, what do you have here? Much less how did you get here?" she asked while petting her on the head and retrieving the bag from her mouth.

About that time, Chakotay popped his head into the lobby office. "Well, it looks like someone has developed a rather impressive fan base," he added while stepping closer to Kathryn and giving her a kiss on the cheek before acknowledging Ensign Morehead. "Happy Birthday, Kathryn," he then added and laughed at her response. "It always amazed me for a woman of such extreme intelligence, you never seemed to remember when your birthday was."

She rolled her eyes and glanced at Ensign Morehead, who was holding a small cake. "I didn't forget either, Admiral. I actually make this from scratch last night. I hope you will like it."

"Aw that is so thoughtful, Nesrine. I suggest we all sample it together, right now," she stated while watching Ensign Morehead smile and proceed to slice and divvy the cake. "Chakotay, are all these from you?" she questioned while pointing to all the flowers.

"Actually, no, they're not. So, it begs to question who else would be sending flowers to my wife?" he added while jokingly placing emphasis on the word wife.

Kathryn raised her eyebrows debating whether he was joking or getting jealous until he broke out into a wide grin that gave her the answer she was searching. She quickly opened the card to the flowers that were from Chakotay and beamed at his heartfelt note. Then she retrieved the other cards – one from Tom and B'Elanna, one from the  _Voyager_ crew, one from Phoebe and Gretchen, one from Michael and one from Kate, which indicated that she needed to consult with Cassie for the remainder of her gift from Michael and Kate.

Kathryn lifted the bag and waved it in front of Chakotay. "Do you know anything about this?"

"Not a clue. I was instructed to bring Cassie and that's all I brought – Cassie and myself."

Kathryn and Chakotay both looked at Nesrine, who was still wielding a knife but smiling. "I might have a slight involvement in this, as the Captain and Doctor needed some assistance since they couldn't be here in person."

Inside the bag were two small boxes, they were labelled "Mom" and "Edoda", which meant Father in Cherokee. They were both very nondescript, brown cardboard miniature boxes tied with a simple burlap ribbon. Kathryn eyed Chakotay as she passed his box to him. She nodded her head to simply indicate for them to both open their boxes simultaneously. Ensign Morehead, who had finally put down the knife, now occupied a small recording device.

When they opened their boxes, it contained some straw colored paper. A small peanut was placed in the center of the box. Underneath the lid of the box, was a simple statement "Our Little Peanut is Due to Arrive in November".

At first, it didn't really register with Kathryn what that meant, but when she re-read it, she audibly gasped and tears immediately filled her eyes.

"Chakotay!" She nearly shouted, which caused Cassie to equally become animated. Kathryn leapt for joy and right into the awaiting arms of Chakotay who picked her up and spun her in a circle, which further elicited barks of excitement from Cassie.

Once he set her back down on the ground, he gave her a quick kiss and said, "Well, congratulations, soon-to-be, grandmother."

He was beaming from ear-to-ear.

"Did you know?" she questioned.

He shook his head, quite literally speechless with the entire ordeal. At times, he still had a hard time processing the fact that he had a daughter. Now the reality that he was going to be a grandfather was a little overwhelming. Sensing his apprehension and quietness, Kathryn collected his hands in hers and questioned, "Honey, are you okay? You haven't had much of anything to say?"

He smiled and nodded his head. "The reality is amazing, Kathryn. Not quite a year ago, I found out that I'm a father, and now I find out that I'm soon-to-be a grandfather. It's a humbling experience in so many ways."

She squeezed his hands. "I know, but isn't it still somewhat exciting?" she almost hesitantly asked.

"You asked that with hesitation. Do you think that I'm not happy?" he questioned and gauged her reaction. "I'm ecstatic, Kathryn. I really quite honestly can't put my emotions to words. I've got you, Kathryn; I've got our Kate and Cassie, and now a new little one, what more can I ask for?"

They both turned to look towards Ensign Morehead, who was still filming but had stopped.

"Ensign?"

"Yes, ma'am? I was merely documenting this for the Captain and the Doctor. They should be able to witness the reactions."

They shook their heads and laughed before Chakotay added, "Can you imagine when your mother and Phoebe find out?"

Morehead cleared her throat. "Well, they likely received a package today, too, as well as Michael's family albeit they didn't have a delivery courtesy of Cassie."

They all chuckled in response. "This," and Kathryn stopped. "I was about to say, this may be the best birthday present ever. But that's not necessarily true. This is the second best birthday present that I've ever received."


	22. Chapter 22

Over the course of the next couple of months, Kathryn and Chakotay discussed the possibility of Kathryn somehow requesting to go on a mission to team up with  _Voyager_ , as she wanted to be present for the birth of their grandchild, which Kate and Michael had failed to reveal the gender of leaving Kathryn all the more in elevated suspense.  _Voyager_  had been dispatched on a mission that kept them out of direct communication range, so Kathryn hadn't been able to run the plan by Kate. Michael and Chakotay had discussed it at length, as Michael wanted to be present, as well, although he knew the likelihood of him being able to get away from Deep Space Nine would be limited.

As Kathryn sat in her office at Starfleet Command late one afternoon finishing up some projects, she glanced at her calendar and realized that Kate's due date was fast approaching yet they had still not put a game plan in place on how to arrange it for everyone to be present for the delivery. A slight knock at the door interrupted her train of thought, and she glanced up to find Ensign Morehead standing with a rather somber expression on her face.

"Nesrine, is everything alright?" Kathryn quietly questioned.

Ensign Morehead bowed her head at the realization that Kathryn likely hadn't seen or acknowledged the memo that just came across Starfleet Command's communications dashboard.

"No, ma'am, it isn't. I'm not sure how to even explain this," and she paused trying to collect her thoughts.

They both heard a scurrying of people suddenly in the hallways and Kathryn realized that something had transpired.

"Ensign, what's going on?"

"Ma'am, a communication just came through the dashboard that there's been an accident onboard Deep Space Nine. Some sort of explosion. There are a number of casualties and a number who are missing."

Kathryn inhaled audibly before calling out, "Michael?"

Before the name had even left Kathryn's mouth, her desk monitors were practically lighting up with varying messages coming through at a record pace. She couldn't even keep up with the messages and alerts as they were coming so quickly. Admiral Jameson popped his head in to Kathryn's office and asked for a moment, which caused Ensign Morehead to leave but not before Kathryn asked her to contact Chakotay and immediately.

"Kathryn," Jameson stated solemnly.

"Michael, is there any word on him?"

"The reports are pouring in Kathryn, and as of the last one, he had not been located. The explosion occurred near his office, so it doesn't look good. I came by to let you know that  _Voyager_  is still out of communication range, and we…" he was cut off by her interruption, which was the mother in her coming out.

"We have to keep them out of communication range. She's due to have the baby any day, this could cause her to possibly lose the baby, we can't let that happen," she was rambling incoherently and almost as if she were babbling to herself and not directly at Jameson, which was unusual for him to witness.

"Kathryn!" he stated a little firmly to gain her attention. "We are aware of Kate's situation and that's why I came to you. I know you've been trying to find a way to get out to her, and this situation warrants it. We want to keep  _Voyager_  out of range because we don't want her hearing about this through the channels, although she very likely could still. Captain Riker and the  _Titan_  have just entered Earth's orbit and I have already spoken to him. He is willing to escort you and Captain Chakotay directly to  _Voyager_ at a moment's notice."

Before he had even finished the sentence, Kathryn was out of her chair and halfway out the door.

"Admiral," Jameson said and halted her in mid-stride. "I know she's your daughter, but this is still a very delicate mission that  _Voyager_  is currently completing. The  _Titan_  should arrive just as  _Voyager_  has completed the mission. We had initially intended for  _Voyager_  to go to Deep Space Nine for maintenance, but obviously we will have to defer to another space station or else back here to Earth, and give the crew a short break. Deep Space Nine will likely have to be evacuated or a large portion of it will be. I will keep you abreast of anything we may hear, especially concerning Dr. Killarney. Take care of her, Kathryn, she's the best we have out there."

Kathryn patted Admiral Jameson on the arm and replied, "Don't worry, Admiral, I'll take care of her, and thank you, for letting me be the one to go out and tell her. It's not going to be easy for her to hear of whatever transpires, but with Chakotay, the Riker's and myself there, it should somewhat help her bear whatever news we have to relay to her."

Admiral Jameson exited Kathryn's office just as Chakotay was entering. Kathryn was barking orders at Ensign Morehead before Chakotay placed a hand on her arm in an attempt to calm her down. She quickly glanced in his direction.

"I heard about Deep Space Nine. What's the status on Michael?"

Kathryn swallowed hard. "He's one of the missing, I suppose I could say. Admiral Jameson said the explosion or whatever it was happened near Michael's office and they've not been able to locate him thus far. The  _Titan_ is in orbit and is going to take you and me out to  _Voyager_ , which is still out of communication range. They are trying to prevent Kate from getting word of this over the wire, and ultimately now  _Voyager_  has to be deferred due to instability of DS9 at the moment. We need to run home, gather a few items and then head to the transport station. I have no idea what we'll do with Cassie though."

"I'll take care of her, Admiral," Ensign Morehead spoke up. "I know you may be gone awhile, but I'll take care of everything here and at your home. I'll be in constant contact with you, as well."

Uncharacteristically, Kathryn hugged the Ensign. "Thank you. I don't know what I would do without you. Would you also pass along a message to my mother and sister, as well?"

"Of course, Admiral. You two be on your way, and we will keep you updated."

Kathryn turned and grabbed Chakotay by the hand as they hastily headed down the hallways of Starfleet Command en route to their home to prepare for their upcoming trek – a trek that should be exciting with the arrival of their grandchild, but to Kathryn and Chakotay, the weight of the world was weighing down on them as they didn't know what news they might find out regarding Michael.

**Location** _**USS Titan** _

"Will," Deanna began, "Just how much more can Kate bear? I am really worried about her."

In the privacy of their living quarters, Captain William T. Riker stepped over to his wife and wrapped his arms around her pulling her closer to him.

"Deanna, you know her just about better than anyone else, including the Admiral. You know how tough and resilient she is. Every challenge that's thrown before her, she always manages to press forward. But yes, this will be different not to mention difficult. She's very pregnant, and when she finds out about the incident onboard Deep Space Nine, I don't know how she will react. But I think having her parents and us there will bring some sort of comfort to her."

"But, she will know something is up as soon as they intercept  _Titan_ on their sensors, if she doesn't find out in advance."

He nodded and looked down into her deep dark chocolate brown eyes. "I know, and you don't even have to be a Betazoid to know she will know that," he half attempted to joke while poking fun at his wife being a half-Betazoid, which allowed her the ability to feel people's emotions on a deeply personal level. "Are you going to be okay, Deanna?"

She slightly furrowed her brows and glanced up at him with a look of confusion etched across her face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean, I know you and Kate are close. In some ways, she's like a little sister to you, but in other ways, she's like our adopted daughter. With your telepathic abilities, you're going to be additionally overwhelmed by her emotions and will be able to intercept them on a deeper level than the rest of us can. Are you going to be okay with this?"

She smiled. "I don't have much choice, Will. Some days I wish I could turn off my abilities, but I also know they will be useful in ways where I can help her and empathize with her on a level that some of the rest of you can't. It's going to be difficult, but it's the Admiral that I'm most worried about. She has wanted nothing more than to witness the birth of her grandchild, as she and I have talked at great length over that since we've become closer. But Will, she's her mother and the possibility of having to relay the news to her own daughter that her husband, her own son-in-law, is missing and possibly dead, I don't know how she will be able to do that."

Will nodded his head. "True, but we all know how equally strong Kathryn can be. I am sure Chakotay will help Kathryn prepare, but don't be surprised if she doesn't come to you beforehand. Maybe the four of us should get together for dinner tonight to discuss. And in some crazy reality, the baby could be a blessing for all involved."

She nodded her head. "You're right, she sure could be."

"She?!" Will asked with a little bit of excitement in her voice.

Deanna's eyes widened. "Shit! It was supposed to be a secret. Only Kate and Michael, and well the Doctor, know. She accidentally slipped and referred to the baby as a "she" one night while we were talking. When I called her out on it, she knew she couldn't lie and well, you know being half-Betazoid kind of helps, but I swore to her that I wouldn't tell. But, you HAVE to keep your mouth shut!"

Will laughed. "I'm glad I have the spy for my wife, and yes, I'll try to keep quiet about it. But if Kathryn finds out that you knew and she didn't, I would pay good money to witness that fight."

"Ugh!" Deanna made a noise and whacked him on the arm. "Come on, we need to get to the transporter room to welcome our guests."

Ten to fifteen minutes later, Will and Deanna awaited the arrival of Kathryn and Chakotay in the transporter room. Once they finally beamed in, Will stepped forward, extended his hand and greeted them both.

"Admiral Janeway, Captain Chakotay, welcome aboard the  _Titan_."

Chakotay nodded his head in appreciation, and greeted Deanna while Kathryn responded.

"Thank you, Captain. I wish it was under better circumstances, but I thank you and your crew in advance for being willing to escort us out to  _Voyager_."

Will nodded. "It's our pleasure, Admiral. If you'll follow us, Deanna and I will escort you to your quarters." He paused as they exited the transporter room before continuing. "Your personal items have already been transported there, and if you're up for it, we would like to have dinner with the two of you later."

Chakotay looked down at Kathryn, who was a bit more somber than usual, which Deanna had immediately picked up on as Chakotay knew she would. Kathryn looked back up at him and nodded.

"That'll be just fine, Captain," Chakotay replied before he was interrupted.

"Will is fine, Chakotay. We're all close here, so I'm not worried about the formalities."

After Deanna and Will dropped off Chakotay and Kathryn at their quarters, they made their way back to the bridge, where they had already previously jumped to warp speed and set off on their rendezvous with  _Voyager_. In the turbolift, Deanna glanced over at Will, who had been relatively quiet since they had left the Admiral and Captain.

"Will, I don't have a good feeling," Deanna stated which caused him to look down at her.

"About what, the Admiral?"

"No, about Michael. I just don't have a good feeling that they are going to find him alive. The Admiral is already going to have the weight of the world on her, but if he indeed does turn up dead, I don't know how she will do it."

As Deanna and Will settled in on the bridge, Chakotay and Kathryn continued to settle in their quarters. Chakotay could tell she had a lot on her mind, as she had all but shut down once she boarded the  _Titan_ , which was completely unlike the great Kathryn Janeway to shut down and go silent. But, over the years of knowing her better than anyone else, he knew to let her be to herself and when she was ready, she would come around and open up.

Chakotay had distracted himself by reading a book that he had found in their quarters, but he carefully kept a watchful eye on Kathryn as where she had been previously situated on the couch staring out the window, she had suddenly stood up and started pacing. Just as he was about to say something, their communication badges interrupted his train of thought.

"Captain Riker to Admiral Janeway or Captain Chakotay."

Chakotay glanced at Kathryn, and she didn't make any sudden move or anything to acknowledge that she was responding to her hail. It was almost as if she had frozen in place.

"Chakotay here, Captain. Go ahead."

"Captain, we just received a subspace communication from Admiral Jameson for the both of you. I'm going have it routed through to your quarters."

"Thank you, Captain. Chakotay out."

Chakotay carefully stood from his location, walked and stood directly in front of Kathryn, who had not moved from the moment Riker had messaged them. Chakotay studied her carefully and saw tears that had formed in her eyes. "Kathryn," he breathed out her name while grazing her arm gently.

"I don't want to talk to Jameson, Chakotay. I know it's about Michael. I just have a bad feeling."

Chakotay nodded his head thinking to himself that a woman's intuition is usually right.

"I'll handle it, okay?" he questioned to which he received only a nod in return. It was almost as if Kathryn had mentally checked out of her physical body, and the thought terrified Chakotay.

Chakotay walked over to the desk display and turned on the monitor to reveal Admiral Jameson.

"Captain Chakotay," Jameson stated.

"Yes, sir. The Admiral is here, but she is a little tied up at the moment, but she is within hearing range."

Admiral Jameson paused for a moment and nodded his head acknowledging Chakotay's remarks, and in that split second, Chakotay recognized the expression on the Admiral's face and realized he was about to relay the news that Kathryn had somehow already sensed.

"Chakotay, I'm not really sure how to even say this, but the rescue crews located Doctor Killarney's body a little while ago. I'm sorry to say he didn't make it, but it did appear that he was able to save the lives of a number of people, as he had somehow sheltered some individuals down in one of the tunnels off some of the Jeffrey's tubes. The rescue teams found them all inside and alive. They did have some injuries, but several of them reported that Doctor Killarney had helped to save them before the incident, which has caused our teams to further investigate the matter as it appeared there must have been a situation ongoing that he knew could possibly escalate.

"We don't have all the details nor the communications completely reviewed but it does look like he had been in contact with the lead individuals onboard the space station, and apparently had helped to order an evacuation of the area. I know there had been some construction and updating of some manifolds there, and several of the workers are some of the others who perished. So, we are assuming, for now until further analysis can be finalized, that the explosion was a result of whatever they were working on. But, in all essence, while it is very tragic of Doctor Killarney's passage, he is indeed a hero."

Chakotay sat for a moment allowing this so sink in. He glanced quickly at Kathryn, who he knew had heard every word but gave no visible sign of reaction.

"Admiral, thank you for letting us know. Please keep us abreast of any further details you may receive."

"Of course, Captain. We've locked down all communications to  _Voyager_ , as we don't want this information getting to them before you all intercept. I only wish you all didn't have to be the bearer of this message to the Captain and the crew onboard  _Voyager._  But considering the relationships, I felt it almost may be easier to see friendly faces in such a tragic time. The bodies of those killed on Deep Space Nine will be transported back here to Starfleet Command, until arrangements are made by the families."

"Understood, Admiral. We will notify you as soon as we have discussed everything with Kate. Thank you again, Admiral. Chakotay out."

He leaned back in the chair and exhaled a breath he felt that he had been holding for an hour or more. The weight that would now rest on Kathryn's shoulders. In some strange way, he felt that Kathryn knew exactly how Kate would feel being that she had endured something similar when she lost her fiancé Justin all those years ago in the tragic shuttle crash. Yet, part of him didn't know how Kathryn would carry this extra burden, but knowing her as well as he did, she would somehow shake this off and become the absolute rock that their daughter needed now more than ever before.

Chakotay had admittedly zoned out trying to comprehend the tragedy that had just unfolded around them. When he blinked himself back to reality, he found Kathryn standing in front of him with tears streaming down her face. Before he could even stand or extend his arms to her, she collapsed into his arms. The weight from the force of her falling into his arms, nearly sent the chair careening backwards, but fortunately, Chakotay caught himself on the desk and balanced them. She buried her head in the crook of his neck and wept violently.

Together they sat there for a few moments as Chakotay rubbed Kathryn's back trying to get her to calm down, but in reality, he knew she ultimately needed to get this out of her system before they encountered Kate. He also knew that there was no one, absolutely no one else, with whom Kathryn would lose her emotions this much in front of, and he would never get over the feeling it gave him when he knew how much she trusted him to be the real Kathryn with. He carefully picked her up and moved over to the sofa, which would be more comfortable and sturdy. He never repositioned her when he sat back down and let her continue to cry. To be honest, he wasn't even sure if she was even aware of the fact that he had just moved the two of them, but he wasn't going to interrupt her, even as tears of his own slowly mixed with her own.

After about half an hour, or so it seemed to Chakotay, Kathryn pulled up from his chest and looked him square in the face, where she could see his own tear stains that had streaked down his flawless skin. She reached out and smoothed them away and smiled faintly. Maybe it was at the realization that he too had been crying, he wasn't sure what she had responded that way for, but it was something at least.

"Chakotay," she hoarsely said as her voice sounded raw from the incessant crying and convulsing. She paused and looked at the concern that was so evident upon his face, and deep inside she knew all the more how lucky she was to have him with her. "How am I going to do this?"

He couldn't help but smile. She was never one to question herself, let alone ask someone else for their help with something she already didn't have a solution to. But, he knew this was different, and in this instance, he knew he was going to have to suggest something that likely she nor he anticipated him ever saying.

"Well, Kathryn, to be honest, I know how tough you are and I know that no matter what happens, you can and will handle this situation as delicately as possible. But in this one instance, the only way you may be able to do this without falling apart is to don the Admiral hat and let Admiral Kathryn take over. I can't believe I am even suggesting it.

"Yes, you are her mother and you will be there for her as she is going to need you to cope with Michael's loss but also with the upcoming delivery of their baby. But, if you allow your own emotions to get the best of you, which I don't think you will because you just emptied a ton of them on me, but if your emotions should overcome you, I don't know what might happen. As hard as this is to say, Kathryn, while she will have myself, Deanna, Will and countless others there for her, she is going to rely exclusively on you. You are her mother. You are her role model. You are her rock, Kathryn. You have to help carry her through.

"You yourself have been through something very similar to what she is facing when you lost Justin. I know you've already got this weighing on you, but we are all here for not only her but also you.

I can and will carry you. You can always let your emotions out with me, and you can with her, too. We don't know quite honestly what to expect her reaction to be – will she be a basket case? Will she be angry and violent? Will she be calm? We have no idea to know how she will react. She knows she's in a delicate position with the baby, and I know she won't do anything irrational, but we have to protect her now more than ever. But I'll carry you, if you can carry her, and the only way I can see you doing that right now is donning the Admiral hat and tucking those emotions away until we see how she responds."

She studied him intently, almost in shock that he had even suggested the Admiral role when he knew how much Kate hated that persona, and they had done so much to suppress that within Kathryn herself. But in reality, he was right, as the Admiral role was the only way she was be capable of keeping her emotions in check, but she additionally needed to maintain her maternal role for Kate's sake. She had to be strong and fierce like the Admiral, but she couldn't be cold-hearted either. She had to take the leap of faith, that he was testing her to do, and almost merge the two roles into one. This challenge may be the greatest yet for her in practicing the balance between those two personifications, which was a war that had raged within her for years – Kathryn versus Starfleet Kathryn. Chakotay could currently see the battle waging within her head, and he cupped the right side of her face in his palm.

"Sweetheart, I know you're debating what I just said and are likely worried about the challenge of the two Kathryn's, but we will get through this. I'll never leave your side, I promise you that."

She leaned forward and placed a slight kiss on his lips before immediately pulling back and staring at him again.

"I know that, Chakotay, and donning the Admiral role does slightly unnerve me especially when it comes to Kate because I know how much pain that has already caused her. But, I also know you're right because you never would have suggested it otherwise. But I never in my wildest dreams would have believed that I would have to relay the news to my daughter that her spouse had been killed. That is just so inconceivable, especially with such a monumental occasion of the baby coming so soon."

Chakotay wrapped his arms tighter around Kathryn and pulled her closer to him, which was hard since she was already about as close as humanly possible. "It is all so inconceivable, Kathryn, but ultimately, we know that Michael died a hero. Maybe in some strange reality that can give Kate some comfort knowing that he was helping others. But the baby can be a blessing, too. We will help her every step of the way, but who knows, Kathryn, she is much stronger than you and I even realize, so she may surprise us all."

"That's what scares me, Chakotay. She is strong, but she's also like me in that we won't allow our emotions out or we bury our feelings. What if she buries them until we are all away from her and then…"

"Stop, Kathryn!" Chakotay interrupted her. "While she is like you, she also isn't. She will handle this in her way, but no matter what, we are only just a short communication away. Why don't we go join Will and Deanna for dinner? I know it's going to be a bit gloomy, but Deanna will be a great asset to us all right now."

Kathryn smirked at his statement. "In what way, Chakotay? Do I need to be worried?"

Chakotay couldn't help but break out into a smile at Kathryn's attempt to be subtle and slightly humorous, so he decided to play along to keep her distracted for a moment.

"Well, I mean what can I say? Deanna is definitely one in a million. She has beautiful…"

"Chakotay!" Kathryn practically gasped while swatting at his arms. "Really? You've been charmed by her, too?"

He laughed while shaking his head. "Jealousy, it has never suited you, Kathryn. Although, I do like seeing you jealous because it brings out a side of you that's rarely seen. But in all honesty, while Deanna is a very beautiful woman who possesses some unique skills because of her Betazoid characteristics, she is not my Kathryn. My Kathryn has powers that are out of this universe. My Kathryn has the most incredibly amazing blue eyes that I could stare in to for hours and never tire of looking in to her soul. My Kathryn is powerful yet she can also be passionate. My Kathryn is the most beautiful woman that has ever walked on any planet, spaceship, universe, galaxy, quadrant…" he stopped as she held up her hand.

She smirked at him and kissed him. "I love you, too, Chakotay, and your flattery worked. Let's change clothes and then go join them for dinner, okay? I really need to freshen up and don't particularly want to wear my Admiral clothes tonight."

"Fine with me," he replied as he followed her into their bedroom to get ready for dinner with the Riker's.

A couple hours later, Kathryn and Chakotay entered the Riker's modest lodging accommodations onboard the  _Titan_ , and Kathryn couldn't help but be somewhat impressed by the size and décor. Will handed them both glasses of wine and told them to have a seat as Deanna was wrapping up the meal. The news of Michael's passing hung like an ominous cloud throughout the room, as it was the topic on everyone's minds, yet no one was willing to broach the subject. Although everyone knew it would come up soon, and Kathryn personally hoped it would come up sooner rather than later.

Will asked Chakotay to join him in his private study as he wanted to show him a Native American artifact that he had obtained and was curious for Chakotay's opinion. As they excused themselves, Kathryn stood and walked around the room glancing at the various photographs that dotted their living space. Their photos included ones from their wedding, friends onboard the  _Enterprise_ , other family members, and then there was one of Will, Deanna and Kate. Kathryn froze in place. She had never seen the photo before. While she knew that Kate was close with the Riker's, she didn't realize their relationship had been ongoing for a number of years, as Kate was noticeably younger in the photo. Unbeknownst to Kathryn, while she was staring intently at the photo, Deanna had crept out from the kitchen and was silently observing her from across the room. Deanna knew what she was thinking, and she knew the emotions that were flowing through Kathryn's system. She and Will had often discussed how the Admiral would react when she realized that Kate was almost like a daughter to them, but she knew deep down that while Kate loved she and Will as another set of parents, her heart would always remain where it should be, with her true biological parents.

"She's just like you, you know," Deanna stated startling Kathryn in the process. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but I couldn't help but see you staring at the photograph. You have nothing to fear, Kathryn, because I know you and I know what you are feeling. Will and I love Kate very much. In many ways, she is like the daughter that we were never able to have. She and I have had many intimate conversations about her personal life and the challenges she has faced since her childhood. I served as her personal counselor for a number of years while she was in the Academy and post-Academy years. She was very fragile when we initially met, and Will and I kind of took her under our wings to try to nurture her. And she has blossomed into one of the strongest individuals that I know. And, while Will and I do love her, we know where her priorities have always been and where they always will be. That's with you, Kathryn. She would move mountains to show you how much she loves you and how much she is willing to protect you and take care of you. She would walk through fire for you.

"I know you have a big task resting on you right now in that you have to relay some of the most horrific news to her. But, Kathryn, while it is tragic, knowing the Kate that I know, she will survive. She will take this in and ponder it. Yes, she is going to be very rattled and upset, but she has you, Chakotay, and Will and myself who are going to be there to support and uplift her. She'll manage and come out stronger than you can even imagine. I'll tell you this. I know you're wondering how to approach the topic with her, and you don't want to show all your emotions either. But as crazy as this may sound, don't handle her with kid gloves. Don't beat around the bush. Tell her exactly what happened and as much as we know. Be up front, be honest and open. That's how she wants everything and anything. If you handle her with kid gloves and dance around the topic, that frustrates her more than anything because I've tried it and it didn't go over too well. No matter what, Kathryn, I'm here for you, as well. If you need anything, please let me know. It's not easy for you, I know, but I truly believe if she has to hear this news from anyone, she would much rather hear it from you than from me, Will or even Chakotay. She loves and trusts you that much."

Kathryn was on the verge of tears again at Deanna's humbling words. Sensing Kathryn trying to suppress her emotions, Deanna crossed the room and wrapped her arms around Kathryn.

"I told you that that the two of you are too much alike. You fight to hold your emotions in because you don't want others to see them. Emotions aren't a sign of weakness, Kathryn. Crying especially is not a sign of vulnerability nor weakness. It actually in some ways shows your strength. Even the strongest of warriors are going to have a breaking point and crying is a release of it all. It is a cleansing of the soul in some ways. No one will ever think any less of you for letting your emotions flow free."

Kathryn pulled away from Deanna and couldn't help but chuckle. "Are you sure you don't have a little bit of Native American in you, too? I swear that sounds like something Chakotay or even Kate would say."

They shared a brief laugh over the thought. "Actually, that notion I have to give partial credit to Kate for because she kind of developed that as a motto for her own self. I phrased it quite differently, but she, as she does best, turned it into her own language and made it much more powerful. I actually kind of like it and have to remind myself and even Will of it quite often. But, Kathryn," she said while taking hold of her hand and walking her towards the kitchen. "We will get through this, and we have a baby to welcome into the world soon. But, in the meantime, would you like to help me finish up dinner?"

Kathryn smiled, "I'm not so sure you want me anywhere near the kitchen. Chakotay is the cook in our family."

"Really?" Deanna questioned almost in a shocking tone.

Kathryn laughed. "Yes, it is true. My mother is a phenomenal cook, as is my sister. But I did not inherit those genes, and the replicators on  _Voyager_  despised me. You can ask Chakotay how many times he would find me kicking one or disassembling one of the demons. But, I will be glad to help you with whatever you need as it is so nice of you and Will to invite us to dinner."

Deanna turned and handed Kathryn some utensils with instructions on what to do in the food preparation.

"It's our pleasure to have you over. I just wish it was under better circumstances, as Will and I treasure our friendship with you and Chakotay."

After a few more moments of small-chat between the women, Chakotay and Will entered the kitchen.

"Is food ever going to be ready, Deanna? We are starving!" Will chided her.

"You boys are always hungry, but I believe your growth spurt is over. So settle down, big guy, it's almost done."

Chakotay glanced at Kathryn, who was busy cutting up something for Deanna.

"You actually let Kathryn in the kitchen?" Chakotay questioned timidly testing the waters for his wife's reaction.

She slowly spun around and waved the knife at him. "I have a weapon, Captain."

"Yes, ma'am," he added followed by a quick salute, which made Will burst out in laughter while Deanna rolled her eyes.

"You know, Chakotay," Deanna replied. "While she may have a past with her replicator issues, I think she's been picking up some good techniques in the kitchen. But I guess she got those skills from her mother and sister, since apparently, you don't let her near you in the kitchen."

"If she's toting a knife, I'd be a little scared, too, Chakotay," Will joked while Kathryn continued to wave it at the two men.

Chakotay smirked and glanced at Kathryn. "You might want to be scared, Will. Remember, I'm Native American, and we use spears quite often. So I made sure to train my wife on how to protect and defend herself with a similar type weapon. So when she's wielding a knife, I stay far away from her because I don't want to lose any precious body parts."

Will and Deanna both laughed and Kathryn couldn't help but smirk at him. They all enjoyed a few more moments of playful banter before Deanna finally broke them all up and told them, including Kathryn, to go take their seats and she would bring dinner out shortly.

The remainder of the evening actually turned out better than Kathryn could have initially conceived. While they all did reflect upon Michael in particular sharing stories about him, it always ended up on some type of humorous note as Michael had that ability to always make people laugh. They even shared stories about Kate, allowing each person to get to know a new side to her and to know her on a deeper level, which was something Chakotay craved as he still had a lot to learn about his daughter. In reality, the evening brought the couples closer together than they had been before, and Kathryn realized that she and Chakotay had quite possibly found a couple that they would enjoy spending time together with.

**Two and a half days later – Location:** _**USS Voyager-B** _

"Status report," a very, very pregnant Captain Kate Janeway stated as she stepped off the turbolift and on to the bridge.

"Looks like you're about to bust," Lt. Commander Paris jokingly replied, which caused the rest of the bridge crew to snicker in response.

Kate rolled her eyes as she made her way to her captain's chair. "Very funny, Mr. Paris. Fortunately for you, this pregnant lady is still relatively nice and won't throw you in the brig for that as I need you to ensure you pilot us to safety."

He nodded his head and turned back to face the view screen. Kate, who had finally seated herself as comfortably as she possibly could, turned to face her First Officer, Commander Sage Walker.

"Commander, what's the update?" she inquired.

"Mission complete, Captain," he replied and smirked.

"That's it?" she jokingly questioned before breaking out into a smile.

"Yes, we had a successful mission with thankfully no major issues and no new enemies have been added to our list. The only issue as of late is that we've been trying to notify Starfleet of our completed mission, but there seems to be some sort of communications issue between Starfleet and  _Voyager_."

As Kate was about to open her mouth to reply, a notification alerted the bridge of the sensors picking up something.

"Lt. Amaez, care to elaborate?" Kate questioned before Galina could even tell her that the sensors had picked up something.

Galina punched in a few commands in to her workstation. "Ma'am, the sensors are picking up a vessel approaching us at a relatively high warp speed," she paused and continued to scan for reading. "Ummm…Captain?" she stated and paused.

Kate spun her head toward Galina's location on the ship and raised her eyebrows in such a manner that was so close to a move her mother used to do that B'Elanna couldn't help but practically gasp in response.

"Yes, Lieutenant?"

"Ma'am, sensors are indicating that the ship is Federation."

"Federation?" Commander Walker questioned more so to himself than anyone.

"Any way to determine which ship?" Kate questioned.

This time it was Harry who spoke up. "Ma'am, it's the  _Titan_."

Kate stared ahead for a few moments wondering why the  _Titan_  would be coming on an intercept mission to where they were before Paris interrupted her train of thought.

"Well, maybe there really is a communication issue with Starfleet and they sent the  _Titan_  to check on us," Tom kept on rambling but Kate tuned him out. She knew the  _Titan_  all too well and she didn't think Starfleet would send them out on a 'just because' mission. As she was about to question whether they were within hailing range, Lt. Amaez brought her back to reality.

"Captain, the  _Titan_  is hailing us."

Kate nodded and stood from her seat. "On screen," she stated while waiting for the face of Captain William T. Riker to appear on their view screen. But in a twist of fate, it wasn't Captain Riker's face that appeared on  _Voyager's_ view screen.

"Checking up on me, Admiral?" Kate questioned as she shook her head in slight bewilderment at being greeted by her mother's face through the view screen.

"And a good morning to you, too, Captain Janeway," came the tone of the very real Admiral Kathryn Janeway. The tone in her voice not allowing any sort of plausible explanation for why she was here to be revealed.

"Unless Captain Riker has had plastic surgery and changed, it must be a pretty serious issue to send the Admiral and the  _Titan_  all the way out to intercept us, although we have been experiencing some communication issues, which is why Mr. Paris assumes that you all are here."

The Admiral, who wanted to roll her eyes at the sass that her daughter was treating her with, remained stoic, which deep down caused Kate to be slightly unnerved because seeing the Admiral in her Admiral role still rattled her to the core. Thankfully, Captain Riker appeared in the screen beside of the Admiral.

"Captain Riker, good to see you, too. I hope the Admiral hasn't taken command of your prestigious ship."

Riker couldn't help but smile and slightly chuckle. "She'd have to pry the controls out of my grasp, Captain, although she is a determined woman to see her very pregnant daughter," he added and paused in an attempt to divert Kate's attention to possibly considering that as the reason for why her mother was onboard the  _Titan_  and why it had suddenly arrived in their portion of space. Riker eventually continued, "But if you have a moment, we'd like to come aboard  _Voyager_  to discuss some things with you that are actually related to the communication issues surrounding  _Voyager_ and Starfleet."

Kate furrowed her eyebrows and nodded her head. "Whenever you're ready, feel free to beam aboard," Kate replied before signaling for Amaez or Kim or whomever was behind her to end the transmission.

"Commander Walker, you have the bridge. I'll go meet our guests in the transporter room," she stated while exiting the bridge and heading towards the transporter room secretly praying that Deanna would also transport over because based on her mother's current mood, she likely would need Deanna's support.

As Kate entered the transporter room, she nodded for the Ensign on duty to begin transport. When Kate realized that four individuals were transporting over instead of two, her curiosity was piqued. When she saw Deanna and Chakotay both materialize before her eyes, her gut fell as she knew this was not a standard visit from Starfleet. Something had happened. They weren't here as the welcoming party anticipating the arrival of her baby, although she knew her mother had been trying desperately to reach  _Voyager_ for that very reason. They were here for something else. And based on the look she shared with Deanna, she knew that Deanna realized immediately that Kate had just felt the atmospheric turbulence entirely change and something had just shifted internally.

"Welcome aboard  _Voyager_ ," she finally greeted them as they stepped down off the transporter platform. She hugged all of them with both Deanna and Kathryn placing hands on her belly trying to feel the baby.

Will shook his head and rolled his eyes at Chakotay. "Women, I'll never understand them, Chakotay. Cooing and wooing over her belly, as if the child can hear them."

"Oh shut up, Will!" Deanna barked back in reply.

"Captain," Will stated before Kate shook her head. "Kate, I'm going to head to the bridge, if that's okay, as Starfleet has provided me with a patch that I can get your bridge crew to implement that will open communications again with Starfleet as a block had been prematurely added for  _Voyager's_  protection during this most recent delicate mission. Apparently once the blockade had been lifted, it didn't fully work, so the communication relays aren't receiving the messages."

Kate looked at him for a moment trying to decipher whether she believed him. She felt he was partially telling her the truth, but she also sensed there was something else going on for him to have brought this entire entourage with him. She was about to question why he couldn't have just relayed that over the view screen, when Deanna, who was sensing her thoughts, interrupted.

"You know, Kate, if Will had just relayed the information over the view screen and not allowed your mother to come onboard  _Voyager_ , we likely would have had a war on our hands."

Kate nodded at Deanna and smiled knowing that she was right, but deep down, Kate still felt something was up, especially since Kathryn and Chakotay had had very little to say since their arrival.

"Very well, Ensign Burnette, would you please escort Captain Riker to our bridge?"

"Yes, ma'am," Burnette replied before motioning for Riker to follow him.

Once they had left the transporter room, Kate turned to face her parents and Deanna. "Apparently, we have something to discuss because I know one or all of you aren't fessing up. So, I suggest we go to my quarters to get on with this."

She waited for a response but received nothing other than surprised looks from Chakotay and Kathryn. Kate went over to Chakotay and link arms with him. "Care to escort me, Captain?"

He smiled at her and nodded his head. "Of course, Captain."

Deanna couldn't help but glance towards Kathryn, as she knew how difficult this was about to be for her. Will had taken his mission to head to the bridge to relay the news to the senior officers, who would in turn spread the word throughout the ship. So, while Chakotay, Deanna and Kathryn all broke the news to Kate, the crew would be finding out at the same time.  _Voyager_ was about to be in for the ripple effect, but Will knew they would all defend, protect and support their captain.

As they entered her quarters, Kathryn couldn't help but notice how things had slowly transformed into a makeshift nursery, as baby things were scattered here and there.

"Please excuse the mess. The crew had a baby shower for me a couple days ago, and I was blessed with so many gifts. However, I haven't had the time to put the items away, let alone try to assemble the various items that I'm sure will be greatly useful."

Chakotay nodded towards a few of the larger items. "While you and the lovely ladies talk, I think I'll work on assembling the crib and other items. That's more of a man's job, right?"

Kate laughed before responding. "Well, I am highly capable of putting things together, but if you want to, I would greatly appreciate the help."

Deanna spied the pile of clothes and other items strewn about. "Why don't I start putting away the clothes while you and your mother have a little chat?"

At that moment, Kate knew something was wrong, and in all reality, she was deathly afraid that something was wrong with her mother due to her sudden arrival and the mystery surrounding why everyone was all but leaving her alone with her mother. Then again, should something have been wrong with Kathryn, she felt that her father would have stayed behind to discuss the issue, too. So Kate was having trouble pinpointing the cause of their arrival, but she knew it wasn't good news.

Kate turned to her mother, who she immediately saw was trying to look stoic and show no emotion, but staring her deep in her eyes, she saw something that Kate had never seen before – fear and sadness. Kate reached out and took her mother's hand and led her to the private office area of her quarters where they sat down on the sofa with the large view port behind them.

"Mom, I know something's wrong. Granted you wanted to be here when the baby is born, but you wouldn't have come all this way just because we were having communication issues. Something's happened. I can feel it, I can tell by the way all of you are acting, and try as you might, I can see the emotional rollercoaster in your eyes. So, please just tell me what's happened."

Kathryn ran her hand down her daughter's face and studied her beauty for a moment. She then patted her hand on Kate's belly where her grandchild was still being carried. She smiled faintly before looking Kate squarely in the eyes gathering the nerve to tell her child the hardest thing she thought she would ever have to do.

"My sweet Kathryn, I have pondered over and over how I would tell you this, as it is quite honestly, I believe, the hardest thing that I have ever had to do."

Kate smiled faintly back at her. "Mom, whatever it is, please don't dwell on it or feel guilty or anything, please just tell me what it is."

"Deanna was right when she said shoot straight with you," Kathryn whispered and watched Kate intently receiving only a nod in response. "Honey, about four days ago, there was an accident at Deep Space Nine. Repair crews had been doing some renovations and a large explosion occurred onboard the space station. A number of people were killed immediately, a large number injured and quite a few were even missing. Starfleet contacted me immediately knowing that you should know that Michael was one of those who was missing. They blocked all communication to and from  _Voyager_  because they didn't want you to hear the news over subspace for fear of what it might do to you and the baby. They came to me and asked if I would personally come to you to deliver the news. The  _Titan_  was in orbit and Chakotay and I boarded as quickly as possible.

"Two days ago, while we were en route to your location, Starfleet contacted us to let us know that," and Kathryn paused trying to catch her breath. In a shocking twist, Kate squeezed her mother's hand almost as if she were comforting and supporting her own mother. Kathryn looked at Kate, and she knew that her daughter likely already realized her husband had perished but she was waiting on her mother to tell her. When Kate faintly smiled and nodded for her to continue, Kathryn wanted to break down in tears but she fought hard and pressed onward.

"I was in such a state of shock and blur at how I was going to even tell you about the accident that Chakotay had to talk to Admiral Jameson, but I heard all that he had said. He said that they had found Michael's body and that unfortunately, he had been killed during the explosion. But he said that based on accounts from the rescue team that they had found over 50 people whom Michael had helped to save by placing them inside one of the corridors and sealing it from the blast. The rescue team found those individuals days later. Some had injuries but all were alive, and they all credited Michael for saving them. While he might have died, Kate, he died a hero by saving countless lives. But sweetheart, I am so, so sorry to have to tell you this. I wish I could have happier news to deliver to you but…"

And Kathryn was silenced when Kate put her index finger over the mother's mouth indicating for her to stop talking. Kate, who had tears slowly trickling down her face, collapsed against her mother's chest as Kathryn wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her as if she were about to lose her. Kate quietly wept, which was somewhat of a shock to Kathryn as she ultimately figured Kate would be angry and fighting with her or even sobbing uncontrollably. But Kate's form of mourning must have been the complete opposite of Kathryn's.

Deanna soon thereafter slipped out and went to find Will to assist with any sort of counselling that the other crewmembers may need. Chakotay popped his head in on Kathryn and Kate. He found Kate's head resting against her mother's chest and Kathryn's arms wrapped protectively around her while Kathryn's head was leaned down on top of her daughter's. He saw tears streaming down Kathryn's face, which nearly broke his heart. Kate was shaking a little from the waves of tears ricocheting through her system, but for the most part she was calm and quiet. Chakotay slipped in beside of Kathryn on the sofa and helped support the two women that he would move the galaxies to protect. Kathryn glanced at him briefly and faintly smiled, while he stroked his daughter's long black hair and rubbed her back.

Even without seeing him, Kate knew he was there and that helped ease her emotions somewhat. In that moment of silence, the baby, who had been relatively still for the past few days, moved and kicked Kate several times fairly strong, so much so that Kathryn felt it against her side and Chakotay had felt it, too, as his hand had come to rest along Kate's side near her pregnancy belly. The sheer coincidence of the baby communicating to them in her own fashion made Kate chuckle, and from her position of still half resting against her mother, Kate said, "Well, I guess she's making her presence known."

Kathryn and Chakotay exchanged surprised looks before Chakotay questioned. "She?"

Kate slowly sat up at the realization of what she had said. She leaned back on the sofa in the middle of both of her parents. "Well, I had meant for that to be a surprise, but yes, I'm having a little girl."

Kathryn beamed with joy and excitement. Chakotay was thrilled but jokingly added, "What is it with me and all these women – Kathryn, Kate, Cassie….I can't seem to get a break."

Kate smiled and kissed him on the cheek. "Guess you just have that magical touch, but I promise, I won't name her Kathryn."

"Thank God," he joked and caught a glare from Kathryn in response, before he tucked a loose strand of Kate's hair behind her ears. "Don't worry about a thing. I know you loved Michael and while I can't comprehend what you're feeling and going through, we will all get through this together. You don't have to say a word to your crew or anything as we've taken care of that."

She shook her head. "The Riker's, I presume?"

"Naturally. He did go to the bridge to reopen communication with Starfleet as  _Voyager_  will have to make a detour from the original course. Deep Space Nine is likely going to have to be fully evacuated, so Starfleet is returning  _Voyager_  and  _Titan_  back to Earth for their maintenance and such. It'll give you a break for a while. Plus who knows, if this little strong kicker, who obviously must have the temper of her grandmother, doesn't decide to make her debut here on  _Voyager_ , she might actually get to be born on Earth."

Kate smiled faintly and rubbed her belly in response to his comment. "I didn't anticipate returning to Earth this soon, but it'll be good to go home. Although, with Michael's passing, things will be quite different. Do his parents know? They are so elderly and in declining health."

Kathryn placed her hand over Kate's on her daughter's belly. "Yes, Starfleet was sending someone to tell them personally."

Kate nodded her head and stared down at her and her mother's hands. "I need to talk to Admiral Jameson."

"Honey, you don't have to make arrangements or anything right away."

"No, I know that, but I need to talk to him as Michael and I had discussed things because we both knew the danger we both faced in this profession, so we somewhat had made preparations should something like this occur. We both thought it would be me who would ultimately be at the most risk; I never thought it would be Michael," and she stopped as tears came a little heavier this time.

"I know, sweetheart, but as your father said, somehow, we'll get through this. You're not alone, not now, not ever, I promise."

The three of them sat together in silent mourning holding hands and holding on to each other for a few hours before Kate finally stood up and walked around. Kathryn had noticed the swelling that was very evident in Kate's face, feet and throughout her body. While Kate had not gained much weight, as she was all baby, she was beginning to swell, and that meant the baby would be here shortly. Kate walked to try to keep moving and went to the replicator to get herself something to drink. She had to keep herself healthy for the baby's sake. She also replicated both of her parents a drink and carried it over to them. Kathryn continued to watch as Kate paced and she glanced at Chakotay who simply raised his eyebrows as if indicating she was her mother's daughter. They both knew she had something on her mind, but they were both hesitant to ask.

Before they could even say a word, Kate sat her drink down on her desk and turned quickly on her heels. "I'm heading to the bridge, care to join me or stay behind?"

Their eyes widened wondering what she was about to do, and they both stood simultaneously and followed her down the corridors towards the turbolift and eventually on to the bridge. When she walked out on to the bridge, a hush fell across the crew as they all stood to attention to greet her. Their eyes all conveying their messages of sorrow. Riker, who had just returned to the bridge and was working with Commander Walker, froze and glanced over Kate's shoulders to catch Chakotay and Kathryn's eyes.

"Captain Riker," Kate stated while making her way down to the command level platform. "What's our game plan for our return to Earth?"

Tom Paris, who had still had his chair facing the command level glanced up at Chakotay and Kathryn and mouthed to them "Does she know?" because he was wondering based on how she was reacting whether she had even been informed of her own spouse's death. A curt nod from Admiral Janeway was all that Paris needed, but even he was shocked by the sheer strength that Kate amassed to come directly to the bridge after receiving such devastating news.

Riker's mouth opened but he couldn't form a sentence, as even he was stunned at Kate's sudden appearance, as they all naturally assumed that she would be locked away in her quarters for the next few days in mourning. At the realization that her crew was in shock of her appearance, Kate decided to do something a little out of customary for a woman who was grieving the loss of her spouse.

"Commander Walker, could you please open a channel for me to relay a message to all of  _Voyager_  and the  _Titan_?" Kate asked while turning to her first officer.

"Yes, ma'am, of course," he replied and worked on the monitor in between their seats.

Riker glanced over his shoulder towards Chakotay and Kathryn, who all had no idea what Kate was about to do. Kathryn was about to say something, but Chakotay grabbed her by the arm and shook his head. This was their daughter, and while they were all concerned for her, he knew to let her proceed with how she wanted as Kathryn's interference may not be helpful at this moment. Kathryn not knowing what to do glanced up at Chakotay, and by the look in his eyes, she knew to trust him in this situation.

"Channel open, ma'am," Walker responded to Kate.

Kate nodded at Walker in response before she spoke.

"Crewmembers onboard the  _USS Voyager_  and the  _USS Titan_ , this is Captain Kate Janeway of the  _USS Voyager_ , and I want to take a quick minute to make a brief statement. As many of you are aware, there has been an incident onboard Deep Space Nine that has resulted in a number of fatalities of fellow comrades, including my own husband. I appreciate your support and concern during this time. However, as a Starfleet crewmember, I, as we all are, am fully aware of the risks we take on a daily basis. While it is very painful for me to realize that I'll never see my spouse again, and ultimately my child will never get to know her father, we all have to unite together and support those others who have additionally lost family members, as well. Due to the incident at DS9, it is my understanding from Starfleet, per Captain Riker, that  _Voyager_  and  _Titan_  will return to Earth for a brief respite until we await our next mission orders. For the next day or so, I will likely take some time to face my new reality. I'll still be your Captain and available should you need anything, but I am going to ask Commander Walker to lead our vessel home and work with Captain Riker and the  _Titan_  on our final preparations. I thank you all for your support and prayers during this time. Janeway out."

After Kate finished she nodded at Riker and Walker, briefly turned and acknowledged her parents before she strode across the bridge and entered her ready room. She sat down at the desk and pondered her reality albeit briefly before she opened a communication channel with Starfleet Command.

Meanwhile, Deanna had strolled on to the bridge at the conclusion of Kate's message and stood beside of Kathryn who looked at her and said, "She's handling this a little bit easier than I thought this would go."

Deanna patted Kathryn on the arm. "It's not hit her yet, Admiral, but she's making her preparations in advance before reality hits. Give her some time in the ready room, and then I'll go in and check on her. Why don't you and Chakotay work with Will and Commander Walker on the plans, and we'll go from there?"

Kathryn nodded in agreement and walked down to the command level, along with Chakotay and Deanna, to converse with Commander Walker and Captain Riker to discuss the preparations to return both ships to Earth.

Back in the ready room, Kate had established communication with Starfleet Command and Admiral Jameson directly.

"Admiral, thank you for taking time to speak with me."

"Of course, Captain. I am terribly sorry to hear of Michael's passing. If there is anything we can do," and he was cut off as Kate interrupted him.

"That's what I wanted to contact you about, Admiral. Michael's parents are very elderly and quite sick, and I know Michael has always desired to be buried back in his native homeland of Ireland. I am not sure how fast we will return, so I am asking if there is any way to have Commander Mitchell O'Halloran escort him back to Starfleet Command from Deep Space Nine. Mitchell and Michael were close friends and both from Ireland. I assume you will conduct an autopsy at Starfleet Command, and if Doctor Crusher is by chance in orbit or anywhere close by, I would prefer her to handle it. If not, I'll leave that to your discretion. If his body could be held at Command until my return, I would appreciate escorting him to Ireland. However, if his parents are already prepared for his burial, I give my permission for Commander O'Halloran to escort his body to Ireland for proper burial."

Admiral Jameson was taking notes and he concurred with everything Kate had requested. "Captain, we will do everything in our power to meet your requests. I have spoken to his parents, and while they are ready for the burial, they asked for us to please wait for your presence. I know you are with child, so if something should change, I know that someone onboard  _Voyager_ will notify us."

"Yes, sir, I will make sure Commander Walker or Admiral Janeway keeps you abreast on any changes. I've relinquished immediate command of  _Voyager_  over to Commander Walker for a few days until I can wrap my mind around all that has transpired, but I fully intend to resume active duties as soon as possible."

"Kate, you need to take all the time that you need. Not only have you lost your spouse and best friend, you are due to have a baby any day now. You need to take care of yourself and your little one. You have a great crew and they will all look after you and the ship. When  _Voyager_ returns to Earth, we'll ground you for a while before we assign you on your next mission."

"Yes, sir. Thank you for everything. Janeway out."

After Kate finished her communication, she stood and walked over to her view port which provided an expansive view of the  _Titan_ , as well as the space that surrounded them. She suddenly felt the ship slip in to place and knew that they were en route to Earth. She sat down on the sofa and stared out the window as her new reality begin to sink in.

A few moments later, Deanna came in and found Kate still staring out the window with tears streaming down her face. She sat beside her and put her arm around her shoulders.

"Hi, sweetheart," Deanna said calmly and quietly all the while feeling the heartache that Kate was feeling, and it was quite overwhelming to Deanna. "I know you're hurting. Why don't we talk about it?"

Kate smiled at her friend and glanced up at her. "D, it's unfathomable. You know Michael and I knew this was a possibility, but we always assumed it would be me who would be killed – me the risk-taker, the one out on a space ship doing the missions for Starfleet. It makes no sense, but knowing that he ultimately saved all those lives, in some strange way that helps. I don't feel like he's gone because we've always been separated in our relationships, but we always have had each other in our hearts, and I still feel him here with me. And while I miss him, and will miss him, our communications and his witty charm, I think what hurts the most is knowing that my sweet little girl is never going to know her father."

Hearing Kate say those words nearly broke Deanna's heart because she knew that was one thing that was weighing on Kate, but getting her to admit to it wasn't something that just anyone could do. Deanna stroked the side of Kate's face and pushed some hair back. Cupping her face in the palms of her hands, she pondered how to respond.

"Kate, you're right, she may never get to actually see her father and know him in that way, but she will know her father. You won't let her forget him. You have your memories, you have pictures. You will tell her stories of him and she will know him. His legacy will continue. We will all help to make sure your little girl grows up knowing that her Daddy loved her and that he was a hero. She will know him, that's a promise. Sure, it's not going to be easy, but we will all see you through."

Kate smiled at her before her expression turned utterly serious. She took both of Deanna's hands in her own and studied her close friend with great intrigue before asking her something that had been on her mind for months.

"Deanna, the last time Michael and I talked, he asked me if I had asked you something yet. I had told him no because I hadn't talked to you yet. But Michael and I both wanted to ask you and Will something, and well, I guess now is as good a time as any. As you know Michael's parents are quite elderly, and to be honest, I don't think they'll be around much longer. I know should something happen to me that my parents, Kathryn and Chakotay, will help to raise my daughter being that they are her grandparents. But, Michael and I both value and love you and Will, and want you to be a part in her life, as well. You can talk this over with him, but we wanted to know if you two would be her godparents?"

Deanna broke out into a wide smile and pulled Kate to her in a hug. "Sweetheart, I don't even have to ask Will, as I know what he will say. We would be honored. Quite honestly, that is a most humbling request and to know that you and Michael both wanted this, it makes it more special and meaningful. So, absolutely, we would love to be her godparents."

Kate gave her a big hug in response and whispered her thanks to her. Before Deanna replied, "I think we need to get you some food and then you need to go to bed to rest. Your mother is quite concerned about your swelling. So, what do you say? Are you up for some food?"

Kate laughed and replied, "When is a pregnant woman not ready for food? But what about Will? The  _Titan_ has already left."

"I'm going to stay with you until we reach Earth. While I know Kathryn and Chakotay are here, I know our relationship is a little different and I felt you may could use a friend who could empathize with you, quite literally," she added with a little laugh.

Kate stood up from her position on the couch and followed Deanna towards the door to the ready room where they would leave and head back towards the mess hall or Kate's quarters to get some food and then allow her time to rest. As the doors to the ready room opened, Kathryn and Chakotay, who had remained on the bridge with Commander Walker and some of the other crew members looked over to see Deanna exiting with Kate following closely on her heels. Kathryn could tell Kate looked a little disheveled but overall, she was still holding together pretty well. Chakotay was studying her intently when he saw Kate reach out to grasp Deanna's shoulder from behind and suddenly wince. The expression on her face was all Chakotay needed before he had barreled across the room, with Kathryn in hot pursuit, and he caught Kate just before she was about to collapse to the ground.

"Kate, Captain Janeway!" Chakotay called to her. "Look at me!"

She kept shaking her head and was clutching on to Deanna with such force, it had brought her down, as well.

"Kate, talk to me, honey. What's the matter?" Chakotay practically pleaded with her as Kathryn stepped into Kate's line of sight.

Kathryn locked eyes with Kate and immediately knew why her daughter wasn't speaking as she was in labor and suffering through a massive contraction, but something else was wrong because overall she just didn't look right.

"Chakotay, we have to get her to sickbay and now. I think she's in labor," Kathryn replied and Chakotay's eyes widened.

In a matter of seconds, the entire senior bridge crew had gathered around and B'Elanna, who had had several children herself knew that not only was Kate in labor, but there were signs of trouble.

"Admiral, she needs immediate medical attention," B'Elanna commented and pointed towards Kate's lower extremities where it looked like blood was pouring from her uniform.


	23. Chapter 23

In no time at all, Chakotay hoisted his daughter into his arms and rushed to the turbolift along with Kathryn and Deanna leaving an all but stunned bridge crew behind secretly wondering what exactly had happened. Kathryn and Deanna kept a watchful eye as it appeared that Kate was drifting in and out of consciousness. Kathryn wanted to scream and while Chakotay wanted to comfort her, he knew he couldn't. Deanna reached over and took hold of Kathryn's hand.

"She's tough, Kathryn. The baby is probably just anxious to get here. The Doctor will make sure everything is alright," Deanna consoled.

"But the blood. Look at Chakotay's arms and hands, they are covered with blood. That's not normal," Kathryn replied before Chakotay interrupted.

"Kathryn, stop! We have to be strong for her. She's been through so much already. We aren't going to lose her or the baby. It's going to be okay, but we have to remain calm. Dig deep for her, please?"

_There it was again_ , Kathryn thought to herself. The way he always said 'please' when it came to their daughter. It lulled her, pulled at her heartstrings and brought her back to reality. For the remainder of the trek, she watched silently as Chakotay held their daughter in her arms, and in some ways, this brought comfort to Kathryn. She had robbed him of so much when it came to their daughter, so seeing how much he cared for her and loved her, Kathryn knew that he was beyond an amazing and caring man, not just for her but for their child, as well.

B'Elanna had messaged ahead sickbay so The Doctor was fully prepared when they walked through the door with a semi-conscious Captain Kate Janeway. Chakotay placed her on the main bio bed and The Doctor and his team began to perform their immediate evaluations. Eventually he turned to Chakotay, Kathryn and Deanna and saw the looks of concern etched upon their faces. With him being a hologram, Deanna couldn't read him as he didn't possess any real emotions, but she knew it was serious.

"You are all more than welcome to stay. We are going to have to perform an emergency delivery of the baby, as Captain Janeway is suffering placenta previa, which can be very deadly to both her and the baby if it is not rectified immediately."

Kathryn wanted to ask a million questions but Chakotay stopped her and motioned for The Doctor to begin. To the trio, time seemed to be standing still, yet they could see The Doctor and his team working feverishly. Finally about thirty minutes later, The Doctor held a beautiful and large baby in his arms. He glanced her over briefly and patted her bottom which caused the young newborn to let out a large cry. Kathryn couldn't help but smile, as tears trickled down her face. An assistant helped The Doctor wrap the newborn into a blanket before The Doctor walked over to where Kathryn stood and held out the baby.

"Admiral, Captain, Commander, we have a beautiful and very healthy baby girl. I'll let you hold her while we finish up the surgery on Captain Janeway."

Kathryn looked hesitantly at The Doctor until she finally succumbed and cradled her newly born granddaughter in her arms. As The Doctor returned to work on Kate, the trio gathered around and cooed over this precious little bundle who helped bring a little bit of light in to such a dark and ominous day. Deanna reached out and touched the sweet babe's face and hair.

"My God, I've never seen a baby with so much hair," Deanna commented.

Kathryn couldn't help but chuckle. "I have. Kate had just as much jet black hair as her daughter does. This sweet little one looks exactly like her mother did, which ultimately means she looks exactly like a miniature Chakotay," she stated while glancing up at him to see him peering ever so carefully down at his sweet grandchild.

Ever so slowly Kathryn turned to face him and extended her arms, and ultimately the baby to him. "I never gave you this opportunity, Chakotay, and it's something I regret to this day. But, you've waited long enough to hold your flesh and blood. So, you should hold your granddaughter."

He started to protest as he knew how excited Kathryn had been over becoming a grandmother, but for her to willingly put herself aside so he could have a few moments with the child, it meant more to him than anything. He carefully scooped the little tiny human being from her arms and cradled her closely to his chest. Kathryn wrapped her arm around him and rested her head on his arm. Deanna couldn't help but smile at such a touching moment.

"She's beautiful, Kathryn. I just don't know what else to say. This is like a dream come true for me."

Kathryn stared up at him and smiled one of her beautiful smiles before standing on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his lips. "I wish you had been able to hold Kate though," she started but he immediately shook his head.

"We've been down this road before, too many times actually. While I may not have been able to hold Kate, I can hold this precious one, and you allowing me to hold her longer than you have that means a lot to me, Kathryn. Because I know how excited you've been about this moment."

"Did she ever tell you guys what she was going to name the baby?" Deanna asked to Chakotay and Kathryn.

They both shook their heads before Kathryn replied. "She never even told us the gender until earlier today when she slipped and said something about 'she' was making her presence known after she kicked Kate and we all felt it. She then mentioned it was supposed to have been a surprise. But it was a girl, and she promised Chakotay that her name wasn't going to be Kathryn."

They all chuckled. "Why not? Kathryn is a beautiful name and a wonderful tradition to continue," Deanna replied.

Chakotay laughed. "Yes, it is a beautiful name and I have the two most beautiful Kathryn's in my life. If Kate were to name this one Kathryn, it'll be fine."

Deanna smiled. "Well, Kathryn couldn't necessarily have named Kate Chakotay or that would be a little too obvious, though she did honor you in a way by choosing a Native American middle name for her."

Chakotay wrapped one arm around Kathryn while carefully holding his grandchild in his other, as Kathryn adjusted the blanket on the little being. "Yes, Deanna, she did honor me, and I'll never be able to say thank you enough."

Deanna smiled for a moment before stepping in to The Doctor's office where she had spied his camera. She came back and snapped a few pictures of Kathryn and Chakotay and their grandchild. She thought it would not only be a memorable moment for them to keep and display, but one that she knew Kate would appreciate, as well.

"Who knew that such a sad day could turn in to something so glorious?" Deanna replied while playing with the little baby's fingers. "She is absolutely perfect, and I think she already has her grandparents, in particularly her grandfather, wrapped around her pinky finger."

Kathryn laughed. "Oh, he is going to spoil her so much. But you're right, it is such a sad day, but it is also a special one, too. I know Michael is smiling down on us all. Deanna, you've got to make sure you tell Will the good news."

"Oh! Good idea. Keep me updated on Kate, but I'm going to go back to my quarters and I'll tell Will what's going on, and then I'll eventually go tell the bridge crew, too," Deanna added before heading out of sickbay and retreating to her guest quarters to talk to Will and fill him in on the situation.

Once Deanna left, Kathryn and Chakotay sat down on one of the empty bio beds and continued to cajole their newest family member. They were beyond smitten by their granddaughter. The Doctor eventually made his way over to them and paused to watch for a few moments.

"You two look so natural in that setting," he added catching both of their attention. "We just finished the surgery and she is going to be fine. That being said, I'm not sure how much Kate talked to you about her pregnancy, but she was quite shocked when she discovered she was pregnant because by all intents and purposes, she shouldn't have been able to conceive due to some medical issues. She was at an elevated risk during this pregnancy and we monitored her closely. I know she never said much to anyone because she didn't want everyone to be alarmed or concerned for her. Surprisingly, she has handled everything with ease during the pregnancy. But when the placenta ruptured, if you all hadn't gotten her here when you did, we could have very easily lost the baby and her. The only downside, which she also knows, is that she likely will never be able to have any children again. So, by all intents and purposes, this little one here is quite a miracle. But, the Captain will be fine. She's still asleep, but I'll wake her in a few minutes. However, I do need to take the little missy here and do her weigh in and complete some check-ups on her. Captain, can you spare to let her go for a few moments?"

Chakotay reluctantly relinquished his little granddaughter to The Doctor's trustful care but not before he placed a very tender kiss on her cheek. Kathryn couldn't help but feel as if her heart was about to melt as she had never witnessed this side of Chakotay, and it made her fall in love with him all over again, not that she had ever fallen out of love with him. As The Doctor stepped away with their granddaughter in his arms, Kathryn took Chakotay by the hand and smiled at him.

"What?" he questioned quietly.

"I've never seen this side of you. I mean you can be paternal with Kate and Cassie, but seeing you just now with the baby," and she paused catching her breath. "Chakotay, it just made my heart smile. You're a complete natural and you exude so much love and compassion for that little being."

Sensing she was about to bring up the past again, he took both of her hands in his own. "While we didn't create this one, Kathryn, she is still partly ours. I don't really know what came over me, as I've never felt that way before, but it was humbling and amazing how such a small little being can capture you and control you instantly. Don't ever bring up the past again because you allowed me the opportunity to bond with this child, when I know that's all you've been dreaming of for months now. That was a sacrifice for you, Kathryn."

She tilted her head to the side and stared longingly at him. "Thank you for always being so forgiving with my decision from the past. I'll never be able to fully let go of my feelings of regret for jeopardizing all of us a complete family life together, but maybe in some crazy way, this is our second chance."

He wrapped his arm around her lower back and kissed her cheek. "I said not long ago that Kate would need us down the road, and this might be the time that she needs us more than ever. You're right, it's our second chance and I know we'll make the most of it because together, we are inseparable and stronger than ever. The love we have for Kate and now her daughter far exceeds anything that anyone can try to separate."

"Chakotay, did she ever mention anything to you about having health issues?"

He shook his head no. "No, she never did and I gather based on your questioning that she never mentioned it to you. Kate is very private, which I guess she gets from the both of us, but I'm sure it's nothing too serious or The Doctor would have likely told us."

Kathryn nodded. "I hope so. I may talk to Deanna about it or try to pry Kate later. I'm assuming it is something minor or maybe because of her age it was a concern. But it had to be somewhat sad for her to know that she won't ever be able to conceive again."

"Yes, it is sad, but obviously, she knows that already. So she will protect and love this child with a passion that can go unmatched since she is truly a miracle in more ways than one."

She stared over at her daughter longing to hold her and take her fears away from her. "And I'll always love and protect my child, too, Chakotay, forever and eternity."

"I know that, and she does, too. Nothing compares to a mother's love."

Chakotay and Kathryn briefly left sickbay so that Chakotay could change clothes as he was still covered in a blood stained uniform courtesy of where he had carried Kate previously. When he had previously been holding his granddaughter, in addition to shedding his Starfleet jacket, they had covered him so that nothing would get on the newborn. While they were out, they encountered a few crewmembers and ate a quick bite before returning to sickbay to check on their daughter and granddaughter. When the doors to sickbay slid open, Kathryn halted to a standstill with Chakotay catching himself on her shoulders to keep from knocking her down. The sight that greeted her was one that brought immediate tears to her eyes.

Her daughter was awake and sitting more upright on the bio bed with her tiny infant daughter in her arms. She hadn't looked up to see her parents enter as she was too busy playing with her daughter's hair and talking with her. Kathryn was mesmerized and craned her neck backwards to look up at Chakotay, who also had tears in his eyes.

"This is life, Kathryn," he whispered in her hair and she leaned back against him as they studied their family across the room before quietly walking closer by.

Kate looked up and the smile that broke out across her face was a pure mixture of the both of her parents' smiles. Kathryn and Chakotay closed the distance and stood directly beside of their daughter.

"Hi, sweetheart," Kathryn replied while reaching out to smooth her daughter's hair. "How are you feeling?"

Kate smiled faintly before replying, "Other than tired, I feel fine. I knew the risk, which we can talk about some other time, but seeing the reward that's in my arms, it's all been well worth it. Though, I do owe you, Edoda, a thank you for obviously carrying me here. I'll pay for any chiropractic fees you may need for carrying me."

They all shared a laugh before he shook his head. "Light as a feather, my dear. And this sweet little thing is absolutely precious and stunningly beautiful, just like her mother."

Kate blushed. "Thank you, but with you two as her grandparents, she's got good genes naturally. She's such a blessing. While I wish Michael was here, I know he is in spirit. She's helped to add some brightness to this dark day. Have you held her?" asking towards her mother.

Kathryn laughed, "I held her for a few seconds before I let you father make up for lost time. He wouldn't let her go. I think she's already got him wrapped around her pinky finger. But sweetheart, what did you name her?"

Kate laughed. "Ah, yes that would be important, right?" she questioned and watched as both of her parents nodded their heads and exchanged wide eye looks of anticipation. "Well, Michael and I had previously discussed what to name our daughter and we finally settled on something. Her name is Kiernan Taya Janeway."

Kate saw the look register on Chakotay's face. "Did you say Taya?"

She smiled in return. "She was named after both our father's. Michael's father's first name is Kiernan, it was his mother's maiden name. And then I know that Taya is the female version of the name Chakotay, so we named her Kiernan Taya, which if she goes by her initials would be KT or Katie."

Chakotay rolled his eyes. "Please tell me we aren't calling her Katie?"

They all laughed. "No, of course not. She will be called Kiernan, unless of course she wants to be called Katie later in life."

Kathryn was smiling. "I love that. Such a beautiful Irish name and such a tribute to both of your father's, but you only chose Janeway for the last name. Is that because?"

Kate as shaking her head before she ever finished asking the question. "No, Michael and I discussed it and we just wanted her to be a Janeway mainly to honor you. Kiernan Killarney-Janeway or Kiernan Janeway-Killarney is quite a mouthful. So, we just settled on Kiernan Janeway so then naturally it also follows another tradition of her also having the same first and last initials as you and I."

Chakotay was smiling with pride. "You two put a lot of time and thought into this, and it is very touching and honoring. But how did you know about Taya?"

"I vaguely recall hearing about it before and did a little research. Then B'Elanna told me, when we were talking about the baby, how you had jokingly told her that she should have named Miral after you and that you had told her Taya was the female version of Chakotay. So, research helps!"

As they all continued to absorb the name of this sweet little being, she slowly opened her eyes and looked around. Chakotay couldn't help but notice the color of her eyes matched Kate and Kathryn's, even though he knew a baby's eye color could change. Kathryn was beaming with pride, as well, as she couldn't still fathom being a grandmother. Sensing her mother's pride, Kate repositioned Kiernan before turning to her mother.

"Care to hold her for a while?" Kate asked of Kathryn.

Kathryn merely nodded and collected the bundle of joy from her own daughter's arms. Kate watched as Chakotay hovered above Kathryn and peered down at Kiernan. She couldn't help but smile as she knew that this was almost as meaningful to the two of them as it was to her.

For the next hour or so, various crew members popped in and out to greet the newest addition to the  _Voyager_ crew, as she immediately became the biggest hit on the ship. Word spread like a wildfire that the Captain had given birth to her child and it was a little girl, one that had more hair than The Doctor. Deanna was one of the last people to finally come back to sickbay as the evening was winding down and she walked Kiernan around sickbay talking to her about various things, as if the young child would actually respond. Kate had told Kathryn and Chakotay about how she had asked Will and Deanna both to have a role in Kiernan's life, and they both willingly agreed that was a positive decision.

Eventually, Kate and the baby were allowed to return to her quarters where they stayed until they arrived back on Earth _. Voyager_  was allowed to land at the airfield near Starfleet Command, as was the  _Titan_. Once they disembarked the ship, they were all greeted by Admiral Jameson, who relayed the news that Michael's body had not yet been escorted to Ireland, as his parents wanted to wait until Kate came home. They retreated to Kathryn and Chakotay's home where Cassie gladly greeted them. When Kate set Kiernan's carrier down on the floor, Cassie gently came over and investigated. She sniffed Kiernan and then sat down directly beside of the carrier, as if she were standing guard over the newest addition to their home. Chakotay and Kathryn were amazed at Cassie's reception and gladly welcomed it.

For the next week or so, Kate's life passed by in a whirlwind. She and her family and a number of the  _Voyager_  crew went to Ireland for Michael's funeral and burial services. Kate and Kiernan visited with Michael's parents who Kate made sure to take some pictures of with Kiernan. She could tell their health was failing and she knew they wouldn't be around much longer, so she wanted to document as many memories for Kiernan as possible. Kathryn and Chakotay helped her as much as possible, but they knew she would need her space in the grieving process, as it would be a long while until it hit her fully. Kathryn was worried about her, but Chakotay did his best to try to calm her fears. While Kate visited with Michael's family, Chakotay and Kathryn took a couple of days to visit a few Irish towns that they had always wanted to see. He enjoyed seeing Kathryn let her hair down and feel free in her native ancestral land.

Eventually, they all met back up in Killarney, Ireland before they finally retreated back to the United States. It was Kate who came up with the idea to make a stop in Cherokee to visit her adoptive family before finally suggesting they head to Indiana to visit with Gretchen and Phoebe. Gretchen was beyond thrilled with the prospect of having a great-granddaughter, and she wouldn't put her down once Kate placed Kiernan in her arms. Kathryn secretly wondered what Phoebe thought of the ordeal, but once Phoebe took Kiernan from Gretchen and was holding her, Kathryn realized that all was well.

"Pheebs, you're practically a natural at that," Kathryn said while nodding towards how her sister was carefully holding her great niece.

"You know I always did think I wanted to have kids, but things just didn't work out. But I've got a niece and a great niece that I fully well intend to spoil and dote on," Phoebe replied while noticing the look of shock on her sister's face. "Kath, you know I reacted overboard when I initially found out about Kate, but I am so thrilled at how our family has continued to grow. I'm sorry for the way I treated all of you, but I'm grateful now for all of the joy that you've brought into mine and Mom's life."

Kathryn sat down beside her sister and wrapped her arm around her shoulders and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You don't owe me any sort of apology. I'm just lucky to have you as my sister."

The two glanced up to find that Kate and Chakotay were missing. Kathryn was about to stand when her mother entered the room. "It's fine," Gretchen stated. "Kate wanted to go on a walk and asked that Chakotay join her. I think she just wanted someone to be with her while she strolled. I don't think it's anything against you, Kathryn."

She nodded. "I know that. I'm glad he went with her because they need to bond some and I have a feeling she may need to talk about some things she is facing. I don't know how she's going to do all that she has on the plate."

Phoebe nodded and replied, "Well, if she's wise, she'll give up Starfleet."

Kathryn glared at her in response. "Phoebe," she stated firmly.

"I don't mean it in a bad way, Kathryn. But really, how is she going to command a starship and be a single mother?"

Kathryn raised her eyebrows in response. "Really? You're asking that about her yet gave me grief for the choice I made?"

"It's different, Kathryn. You had Chakotay or could have had him. She doesn't have Michael. Yes, she has us and we are all willing to help. But I don't see her going on a mission to the far reaches of the universe and not having her child with her. I just wonder at what point will she want to continue doing this job? She's done so much for Starfleet and risked her life already so many times. She would be a great asset at the Academy or in Command. I'm just thinking out loud here."

"And you better keep it to yourself, Phoebe, because she doesn't need anything else to worry or stress over right now," Kathryn cautioned.

"I know. I'll keep quiet and enjoy holding my great niece. Kiernan Taya that has a nice ring to it. Better than another Kathryn."

"What is with you?" Kathryn retorted.

"Lighten up, sis, I was just making a joke. Maybe the question is what is with you? I know you're stressed and worried about her, but Kathryn, if she's as hard headed as you are, she will be fine. Probably better than ever, and she has this little bundle of joy to keep her going."

"I know you're right, Phoebe, and everyone else has said the same thing. But I guess the mother in me just worries about her. I know she's natured so much like me and there were times during our mission on  _Voyager_ that I almost lost it several times. I just worry that if she's too much like me, she'll bottle it all up and eventually crack."

Phoebe patted Kathryn on the hand. "She is just like you in many ways, but she's a lot like Chakotay, too. She'll figure things out, and I know she will reach out to you or someone if she needs it."

The sisters continued to small chat while Gretchen was in the kitchen making dinner for them. She couldn't help but glance out the window as she saw Chakotay and Kate strolling hand-in-hand around the large pond in the back yard. The way she held on to him, it reminded her so much of Kathryn in her younger days.

"What are you thinking about, sweetheart?" Chakotay gently questioned as they continued their silent walk around the Janeway farmland.

Kate turned her head up and glanced at him before coming to an abrupt stop near one of the docks that stretched out into the middle of the pond. While standing there watching as the sun slowly began to set across the farm lands, she lay her head against her father's shoulder. He could tell she had a lot going on in her mind, but knew not to push her to talk as sometimes the silence was more relaxing.

As they continued to stare out across the water, he wrapped his arm around her and she finally broke her silence. "I'm not really thinking about anything in particular. It's just hard to wrap my mind around all that's transpired in the past few days. Losing Michael, giving birth to Kiernan, going to Ireland, Cherokee and now here, all within days of returning from a space mission. It's somewhat hard to wrap my mind around, especially since I'm so used to it going at warp speed along with the ship. I guess I'm just thinking about what lies ahead, you know?"

She said it as a question more to herself than directly at him. He paused and pondered her thoughts for a moment being very cautious in his response as he knew that behind that tough exterior lay a very fragile individual.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and drew her head closer to him, leaned down and planted a kiss on top of her head. "You know, sweetheart, this has probably not only been the toughest past week of your life, but your entire past couple of years have been a complete whirlwind, as well. You've always had to solely look out for yourself or those under your command. Now, you have a little sweet bundle of joy that you also have to consider. But I can promise you that I know you'll do what's best not only for Kiernan but for yourself. You've got a great head on your shoulders and no matter what decisions you face, you'll make the right call. And for what it's worth, you have a huge support group standing behind you. We'll always be here anytime you need us."

Kate smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, Edoda. You didn't even have to say anything, just having you walk with me has brought a lot of comfort and peace to me. I love you and Mom more than you will ever know."

"And we both love you more than anything," he replied and they continued to stand there wrapped in a hug for a few moments listening to the sounds of nature as the night air slowly began its descent upon them.

Eventually they strolled back into the house where they sat down to dinner with the rest of the girls. Chakotay couldn't help but chuckle to himself, which caused all the ladies at the table to glance his way in response.

"Sorry," he said to himself. "I just can't help but laugh at the realization that I'm surrounded all at once by all the Janeway women."

Phoebe snickered in reply before retorting. "Are you complaining about that Chakotay?"

"Never, Phoebe," he replied and flashed her one of his infamous smiles that nearly caused her to cave in response.

"Cool it, Pheebs," Kathryn replied noticing how giddy her sister was getting.

"Kathryn, I'm just going to say it again, you were an idiot for not marrying this man sooner. I mean he's so," and she was cut off.

"Phoebe! That man is my husband and you are my sister. We are not going to start a war right here at the table over how good looking he is."

Chakotay sat back and took it all in with amusement etched across his face. When Kathryn glanced back at him, she cocked her head sideways at him before retorting, "What's that look for, Chakotay?"

"Oh nothing," he replied lying before Kathryn hurled her napkin at his head. "I guess I'm just enthralled that not only am I surrounded by the Janeway women, but they are all fighting for my love, attention and affection. So, please, by all means continue."

Gretchen laughed a jolly laugh and patted Chakotay on the hand. Kate rolled her eyes in response, whereas Kathryn whirled her head so fast that Kate was afraid she was going to launch out of her seat.

"Don't let your ego get too high, Chakotay," she replied while batting her eyes at him. "Fortunately, for your sake, you chose the right Janeway to marry," she said while giving him a sly, seductive smile.

Before things escalated much further, they were all saved when Kiernan let out a wail, which meant she was hungry.

"Just like her grandmother," Chakotay replied.

"Which part – the crying, the loud vocals or always wanting to eat?" Phoebe daringly yet jokingly replied.

Kathryn's mouth fell agape and she couldn't respond. Instead, she excused herself from the table to go help Kate prepare Kiernan's food and to try to quiet the little babe down.

"You know they're shamelessly teasing you right, Mom?" Kate hesitantly questioned.

Kathryn smiled at her daughter. "Yes, they love getting under my skin, but is right now really the best time?"

Kate handed Kiernan to Kathryn to hold while she fixed her bottle. "It's perfectly fine, Mom. Laughter is good medicine and we could all use some of that right now. I don't want people to react differently around me just because I lost my husband. Sure, life is different, but I haven't changed. I'm still Kate and the only way for me to get better is to try to continue to push forward and continue with reality. That means caring for my darling baby and putting one foot in front of the other, which includes laughing and picking on you. But you can always get them back, especially Aunt Phoebe, we can always get her good later."

Kathryn smirked in response. "You're joining team Kathryn?"

"Why not? I am named Kathryn after all. Of course, I'll always side with you. We'll get her when she least expects it, but Chakotay better choose his side carefully."

Kathryn laughed. "I suppose if he realizes we are scheming together, he will be a little on edge for fear of the wrath of the both of us."

The rest of the evening Chakotay and the Janeway women spent swapping stories about their lives, which allowed Kate to get to know her family on a much deeper level. She cherished watching as they all passed around her child holding her and all lovingly doting on her in varying ways. In a somewhat surprising twist, Chakotay suggested that Kate, Kathryn, Kiernan and Gretchen all have some photos made to recognize the four generations of Janeway women, which they all did before they finally had some made with the entire clan – Chakotay and all his girls. With the setting of the beautiful picturesque Janeway farmland, Kate was humbled and overwhelmed by how the photographs turned out, and she knew these would go lovely in her quarters and in her office onboard  _Voyager_.

The next few months were somewhat of a challenge for Kate. Starfleet Command kept  _Voyager_  grounded exclaiming they were performing maintenance and updates on the vessel, which Kate questioned being that it was a brand new ship. She ultimately felt that Starfleet was keeping her personally grounded to try to get a better grasp on her life. She had been meeting with Deanna Troi-Riker on a professional basis to discuss her current mental state, which considering all that had transpired was pretty sound. In her off-time, she was working some at Starfleet Command and had spoken in a few classes at the Academy, but otherwise, she spent most of her time at her parent's home with Cassie and Kiernan and going on long walks throughout San Francisco.

Finally, six months after their return home, as Kate was strolling the streets of San Francisco down near the remodeled Fisherman's Wharf with Cassie and Kiernan, she grabbed an outdoor table at one of the local café's and as she was eating a bite and feeding Kiernan, she looked up to see Admiral Jameson approaching her.

"Captain Janeway," he greeted standing at her table.

"Admiral, it's good to see you. Please, have a seat," Kate replied to which he pulled out a chair and sat down.

For the next few minutes they swapped small-talk about various ongoing Starfleet missions, Kate's life, how Kiernan had grown and a multitude of other topics before he got down to business. "We're ready to send  _Voyager_ back into space, if its Captain is ready to go."

She smiled, "Sir, I've been ready. I appreciate the time that Starfleet has given me to try to readjust to my new life, but I'm ready to reclaim my ship and resume my normal duties."

He nodded. "Yes, we've met with Counselor Troi-Riker and she even suggested that getting you back into a regular routine would likely prove more beneficial," he stated and paused allowing Kate time to absorb before he pulled out a PADD and handed it to her. "These are the new orders for  _Voyager_. I trust you can have your crew ready to embark on your new mission in the next couple of days?"

Kate poured over the notations briefly and nodded her head in approval. "Yes, sir, I'll notify my First Officer immediately to rally the troops and we'll be airborne within the timeframe designated here."

He studied her for a moment and patted her on the arm. "Kate, you're one of the toughest, bravest, strongest and most courageous individuals that I've ever met. You not only make Starfleet proud, but you make me personally proud. No need to rush things and if something comes up, don't hesitate to let us know as we are always here to help."

"Thank you, sir, that really means a lot to me," she replied and they continued to swap stories before he excused himself and she fired off the messages to her senior staff to report for duty. As soon as she finished, she collected her belongings, Kiernan and Cassie and retreated back to her parent's home where she would spend one final evening with them before setting off on their next mission.

For Kathryn, she wasn't sure what was hardest – watching her daughter leave again or now watching her daughter and her granddaughter leave. Chakotay and Kathryn both reiterated to Kate that if she needed any help in keeping Kiernan that they would be more than willing to assist. But Kate, bound and determined to handle things her way, appreciated their gratitude. But, she was not about to leave her daughter behind, as Phoebe had warned Kathryn.

Kathryn somewhat feared for both of them, but she especially feared for Kiernan because if truth be told, one reason she always feared getting involved with someone while being a Captain was the resulting pregnancy that would place in her an internal battle – should something happen while she was in the Captain's seat, she had to uphold her Starfleet protocols of protecting and defending her crew meaning ultimately that the Captain went down with the ship. Yet she always knew in the back of her mind, she would be wondering who would save and protect her own child. She wasn't sure if she would have been able to fully separate the two, and she feared Kate being caught in that same predicament, especially fearful of her having to choose Starfleet over Kiernan.

Shortly after  _Voyager_  embarked on its new journey, Chakotay had found a rather depressed Kathryn in the backyard sitting on the patio staring out at the San Francisco Bay. After some coercion, she had finally confessed this very fear to Chakotay, and it also made him realize another reason she had somewhat pushed him away all those years ago. He assured Kathryn that no matter what decision Kate had to face, while she would always adhere to her Starfleet regulations, he felt that she would ultimately protect her child above all, and he knew that should some situation arise, Kate would make sure that Kiernan's welfare was always her top priority, even if that meant leaving her in the care of someone else should that situation arise.

_(Aside note: Initially Secret Revelations was to be a much, much longer publication. However due to the length, I ended up splitting the story and the conclusion will be posted under the title Forgotten Secrets. An actual sequel to the full story is in the works. Thank you all for your feedback – mostly positive, but some negative mixed it. It has been a pleasure to share this alternate universe story with you, and I hope you'll keep reading the following publications, as well.)_


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